Kolkata police officer injured as protests against attacks on Bangladesh minority Hindus turn violent

NEW DELHI: A police officer was injured on Thursday after a scuffle broke out between police and members of the Bangiya Hindu Jagaran Manch during a protest march in Kolkata over ongoing violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.

The demonstrators were heading toward Bangladesh's deputy high commission to voice their outrage.

The march, which began peacefully, saw tensions flare as protesters neared the Bangladesh consulate. Police quickly intervened to prevent the crowd from advancing, resulting in the clash. Several protestors were detained, and the injured officer was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.


The protests intensified after the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu priest and prominent spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote. Das was detained by Bangladeshi authorities at Dhaka airport on Monday while preparing to board a flight to Chattogram. Das faces sedition charges for allegedly disrespecting the Bangladeshi flag during a rally in October, in which he and 18 others were implicated.

The arrest of Das has sparked widespread anger, with political leaders, Hindu spiritual figures, and activists taking to the streets of Kolkata to protest not only the arrest but also the growing incidents of mob violence targeting Hindu temples and religious sites in Bangladesh.

These attacks have escalated in recent months, drawing severe criticism from human rights groups and neighbor India, which has expressed deep concern over the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh.