A Hindu boy named Utsab Mandal has been attacked by a violent Muslim mob in Bangladesh’s Khulna over the allegations that he insulted Prophet Muhammad on social media. The incident happened on 4th September, in the second phase of Sonadanga residential area of the city.
According to the media reports, Khulna Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (South) Md. Tajul Islam has confirmed the mob lynching of the 18-year-old Hindu youth. As per the eyewitnesses, students at Khulna’s Azam Khan Government Commerce College had allegedly shared some posts on Prophet Muhammad on Facebook.
Several students took the Hindu boy to the office of Khulna Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner (South) Tajul Islam in the evening. The Muslim mob gheraoed the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) in the Sonadanga residential area for around 3 hours. The mob demanded punishment for the Hindu boy over alleged ‘blasphemy’.
According to the media reports, to control any unexpected incidents, an Army and Navy team reached the scene and took control of the situation. Later, when he was taken to the police station, he was brutally thrashed by the Muslim mob leading to his death. Despite police presence the brutal lynching occurred. Meanwhile, the army officials said that they had assured the Muslim mob that maximum punishment will be given to the Hindu boy. However, the agitated mob still thrashed him to death.
Notably, since the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, over 205 incidents of violence have been reported against Hindus and other minority groups across 52 districts in Bangladesh. This surge in attacks has left hundreds injured and has driven thousands to flee their homes in search of safety.
Earlier Islamists targeted Hindu homes, businesses and temples in Dhaka. In one of the videos shared by ‘Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus’, a woman can be seen narrating, ‘They came and looted our house. They took away our money, gold and whatever valuable that was left with us. They also abducted my 14-year-old boy’.
While breaking down in tears she narrated, ‘I don’t even know their identity and they vandalised our house and took everything away. They also beat us severely’ A man standing in the vicinity pointed out a mob of 10-12 men attacked their house. He said, ‘They beat me and made me sign on an empty stamp paper. They also sought a ransom of Rs 10 lakh to return the boy’. However, the incident took place in Jessore district in southwestern Bangladesh.
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