India has strongly condemned the abduction and brutal killing of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a prominent Hindu minority leader in Bangladesh, calling the incident part of a disturbing pattern of persecution against Hindu minorities in the country.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed deep concern, urging the interim government in Bangladesh to fulfil its responsibility to protect all minorities, including Hindus, without making excuses or distinctions.

Bhabesh Chandra Roy, aged 58, was the vice-president of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and a respected figure in the local Hindu community in Dinajpur district, northern Bangladesh.

According to his wife, Shantana Roy, the sequence of events began when Roy received a suspicious phone call around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, which she believes was made by the perpetrators to confirm his presence at home. About thirty minutes later, four men arrived on two motorcycles and forcibly abducted him from his residence in Basudebpur village.

Eyewitnesses reported that Roy was taken to Narabari village, where he was brutally assaulted. Later that evening, his unconscious body was returned to his home in a van. Family members, with the help of locals, rushed him to the Biral Upazila Health Complex and subsequently to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead upon arrival. His body was sent for a postmortem examination.

The incident has caused outrage among the Hindu community in Bangladesh and prompted a strong diplomatic response from India. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that this killing follows a pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities under the current interim government, highlighting that perpetrators of previous such acts continue to evade justice.

The MEA called on Bangladesh to ensure the safety and protection of all its minority citizens.

Police in Dinajpur have confirmed that preparations are underway to file a case, and efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend the suspects involved in the killing. Roy's wife has stated that she can identify two of the attackers, and local authorities are investigating the matter.

India’s condemnation of the incident comes amid heightened concerns over the safety of minorities in Bangladesh, with New Delhi urging Dhaka to prioritize the protection of vulnerable communities and to take decisive action against those responsible for such crimes.

ANI