The killing of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a prominent Hindu minority leader in Bangladesh, has sparked strong condemnation and concern both within India and internationally. Roy, aged 58 and vice-president of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, was abducted from his home in Basudebpur village, Dinajpur district, on Wednesday afternoon after receiving a suspicious phone call believed to have been made by his assailants to confirm his presence.

About half an hour later, four men arrived on motorcycles, forcibly took him to Narabari village, and brutally assaulted him. That evening, his unconscious body was returned to his family, who rushed him to local hospitals, but he was declared dead upon arrival. The body was subsequently sent for a postmortem examination.

The incident has caused outrage among the Hindu community in Bangladesh and India. ISKCON Kolkata Vice President Radharaman Das strongly criticized the Bangladesh authorities, alleging that such acts are intended to instil fear and force minorities into submission.

Das described the killing as "extremely sad" and "intentional," calling on the world to take notice of the deteriorating situation for minorities in Bangladesh.

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed deep distress over the abduction and killing, labelling it part of a "pattern of systematic persecution" of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.

The MEA called on the interim government in Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, to fulfil its responsibility of protecting all minorities, including Hindus, and condemned the ongoing impunity for perpetrators of such violence. This incident comes amid a broader context of strained India-Bangladesh relations and increasing reports of attacks on minorities, particularly since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Police in Bangladesh have confirmed that preparations are underway to file a case and that efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend the suspects involved in Roy's murder. The killing has intensified calls from both domestic and international actors for stronger measures to ensure the safety and rights of minority communities in Bangladesh.

ANI