Three rooms of the 400-year-old Paruarkul Ashtagram Maha crematorium and Radhagobind Ashram have reportedly been burnt down by unidentified miscreants in Mohammadpur Upazila of Bangladesh’s Magura district, as per an India Today report. Parts of three houses, chariots and idols were also reduced to ashes in the fire which has now been brought under control.
Cleaning workers who came to the Gurudas temple saw parts of it up in flames and reported the matter to the administration and fire brigade, as informed by Swapna Rani Biswas, former vice-chairman of Mohammadpur Upazila Parishad. Swapna Rani called the incident an attempt to “sabotage harmony, incite communal clashes and create political unrest”.
Basudeb Kundu, general secretary of the district Puja Celebration Council, informed that the locals had told him about setting fire to three houses, including a temple, and chariots and idols. Kundu said that the miscreants set fire to seek the intervention of the administration.
Assistant Commissioner of Land Harekrishna Adhikari of Mohammadpur brushed the possibility of foul play by saying that the incident can be termed as “not a common occurrence” only after a thorough investigation. On the other hand, Superintendent of Police Zahirul Islam assured that strict legal action would be taken against those responsible if any evidence of sabotage is found upon investigating the matter. He added that no non-communal force in Magura, a district otherwise known for ‘communal harmony’, would be spared.
Bangladesh Burning
Violent protests have been underway in Bangladesh over the visit by the Indian Prime Minister and some protesters have died during attempts by the police to enforce law and order.
Islamists in Bangladesh also attacked Hindu Temples to protest against the official visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Hefazat-e-Islami members attacked a train in the district of Brahmanbaria on Sunday, injuring ten. “They attacked the train and damaged its engine room and almost all the coaches,” a police official told Reuters on the condition of anonymity. Buses were burnt in Rajshahi district and hundreds clashed with the Police in Narayanganj, near Dhaka.
The Hefazat-e-Islami is a hardline Islamist organisation, whose members have been accused of persecuting Hindus in the past.