NEW DELHI– Protests erupted across multiple Indian cities on Tuesday following the brutal killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a 25-year-old Hindu garment factory worker in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district, triggering widespread anger over alleged attacks on religious minorities in the neighboring country.
Demonstrations were reported in Delhi, Kolkata, Bhopal, Hyderabad and other cities, where members of Hindu organizations gathered to condemn the killing and demand accountability from the interim government in Bangladesh led by Muhammad Yunus.
In the national capital, hundreds of protesters assembled outside the Bangladesh High Commission, raising slogans and waving saffron flags while demanding justice for Dipu Das. Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal accused authorities in Bangladesh of failing to protect minorities and alleged that the attack was part of a broader pattern of persecution.
According to protesters, Dipu Das was accused of blasphemy by a co-worker at the garment factory where he was employed. They alleged that an Islamist mob then stormed the facility, dragged him into the street, beat him to death and later set his body on fire after tying it to a tree. The killing reportedly took place last week.
As the protest in Delhi intensified, demonstrators attempted to march toward the diplomatic enclave, leading to clashes with police and the toppling of barricades. Some protesters burned effigies of Muhammad Yunus while calling for strict punishment for those responsible for the killing. Police intervened to disperse the crowd and detained several participants.
In West Bengal, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata’s Beck Bagan area. Members of multiple Hindu groups attempted to submit a memorandum condemning the killing but were stopped by police, leading to a standoff. Tensions escalated as police carried out a lathi-charge to disperse the demonstrators.
Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi criticized the West Bengal government, accusing it of suppressing public outrage. He alleged that peaceful protests were being curtailed while violence against Hindus in Bangladesh continued unchecked.
Similar demonstrations were held in Madhya Pradesh, where members of Hindu organizations marched through Bhopal demanding action against those responsible for Dipu Das’s death. Protesters also staged symbolic acts denouncing extremist violence.
In Jammu and Kashmir, members of the Dogra community staged protests against what they described as atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. In Telangana, Hindu groups organized demonstrations demanding a swift investigation and punishment for those involved in the killing.
Protesters across states called on the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety of minorities and to bring the perpetrators of Dipu Das’s killing to justice, warning that continued inaction would further inflame public sentiment in India. (Source: IANS)
