Mob led by Haji Shafiullah vandalised, looted Dhaka temple: ISKCON official

A mob of over 200 led by Islamist Haji Shafiullah vandalised the ISKCON temple in Dhaka, took away idols and injured several devotees, an temple official said on Friday.

Amani Krishna Das, the public relations officer of ISKCON temple, told ANI: "More than 200 terrorists led by Haji Shafiullah attacked, vandalized and looted the ISKCON Radhakanta temple at 222, Lal Mohan Saha Street in Wari."

"The miscreants attempted to break the security wall of the temple," Das said.

On March 17, ISKCON affiliated Radhakanta Jeev temple was vandalised.

"Last night around 8 pm, ISKCON temple in Wari was attacked by around 200 Muslim miscreants who kidnapped two devotees and beat them up. Several devotees were also injured," Amani Krishna Das said.

The devotees who were beaten up by the mob were identified as Sumantra Chandra Shravan, Nihar Haldar, Rajiv Bhadram, he said, adding that however, the devotees were rescued with the help of police later.

According to sources, the High Commission of India is in touch with Bangladeshi authorities, minority groups, law enforcement, and senior leaders.

This incident comes a few months after a series of attacks on minority religious places in Bangladesh last October.

An ISKCON temple in Noakhali city was vandalised in October last year.

Earlier, communal tensions gripped the country following allegations that the Quran was dishonoured at a puja pavilion in Cumilla, triggering violence in several districts across the country.

( With inputs from ANI )