Dhaka: There is a massive protest against the arrest of Chinmay Krishna Das Brahmachari, leader of Hindu group Sammilita Sanatani Jot and secretary of ISKCON Trust in Bangladesh. People took to the streets in many parts of the country including the capital Dhaka and Chittagong and demanded his release. There are reports of lathicharge and tear gas shells being fired on the protesters.
Chinmay sent to jail
Meanwhile, a court refused to grant bail to Chinmay. He has been sent to jail. Chinmay was arrested on Monday on charges of sedition. According to bdnews24.com, the court of Chittagong’s sixth metropolitan magistrate Kazi Shariful Islam ordered him to be sent to jail. When Chinmay did not get bail, his supporters raised many slogans including Jai Shri Ram in the court premises.
More than two thousand people surrounded the van
Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner Hasib Aziz said that when Chinmay was being taken to jail under tight security, more than two thousand supporters surrounded the van. The road was blocked for about two hours. Stones were pelted during this. Lathicharge and tear gas shells had to be fired to disperse them. There is no news of anyone being seriously injured in this.
Allegation of insulting the national flag
Chinmay has appealed to his supporters to maintain peace. Meanwhile, Bangladeshi cyber criminals are targeting the internet media platforms of ISKCON. Reportedly on October 30, a case was registered against 19 people including Chinmay in Chittagong Kotwali police station, in which he was accused of insulting the national flag of Bangladesh during a rally of the Hindu community.
ISKCON appeals to India to intervene
In a post on X, ISKCON said, “We have received disturbing reports that Chinmoy Krishna Das, one of the prominent leaders of ISKCON Bangladesh, has been arrested by the Dhaka police. It is outrageous to baselessly accuse ISKCON of having any connection with terrorism anywhere in the world. ISKCON appeals to the Indian government to take immediate action, talk to the Bangladesh government and explain that we are a peace-loving devotional movement.” Meanwhile, the Indian government has also objected to the arrest.
