Dhaka, Oct 16 (FN Agency) With the dead body of a young member who was lynched by a radical mob on Friday, members of the ISKCON and Hindu community members in Noakhali, Bangladesh, protested against the arson and vandalism of their temple by Islamist fanatics and demanded justice from the authorities. With the body of ISKCON member Partha Das who was killed on Friday at the protest venue, members of the ISKCON Bangladesh held banners demanding justice and answers from the administration on why their temple was not protected from the mob. ISKCON International in a letter of support on Saturday, said: “We are deeply saddened by the violent mob attack on the ISKCON temple and its devotees in Noakhali, Bangladesh.
We firmly stand in solidarity with the devotee community and call upon the Government of Bangladesh to immediately ensure their safety and well-being.” The letter was signed by Gauranga Sundar Das, the Communication Director of ISKCON International. Earlier, the ISKCON society said the body of Partha Das who was lynched by a mob of frenzied radicals on Friday was found in a pond next to the temple. It urged action by the Bangladesh government in the matter. “It is with great grief that we share the news of a ISKCON member, Partha Das, who was brutally killed yesterday by a mob of over 200 people. His body was found in a pond next to the temple. “We call on the Govt of Bangladesh for immediate action in this regard.” “Shri Partha Das, 25 years, was an enthusiastic devotee and liked by all in the community. “We pray to Sri Krishna to grant him shelter, and prayers for strength in this hour of grief to all the family members and devotees.” On Friday, Islamist radicals after the Jummah prayers went on a vandalisation spree, including in Noakhali where they set fire to the ISKCON temple, including the statue of ISKCON founder Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Radharamn Das, Vice President and Spokesperson ISKCON Kolkata, in tweets said that a 500-strong Muslim mob gathered outside the ISKCON Temple in Noakhali and smashed the deities inside the temple and set the temple on fire. They also destroyed the idol of Durga Devi in front of the ISKCON Temple. “Our devotees fought: many are critical,” he posted. Videos and photos of the arson and vandalism went viral on social media. Das requested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina immediately. On Saturday, Das wrote to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, requesting that the UN immediately condemn the “cycle of violence against the Hindus and other minorities of Bangladesh and to send a delegation to Bangladesh.” The attack on the ISKCON temple took place a day after Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned that those behind the violence on Hindu temples and Durga Puja pandals in Cumilla would be hounded out and dealt with severely.