Hundreds of members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindu organisations, including the Bajrang Dal, staged a massive protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi on Tuesday, demanding justice for the mob lynching of 25-year-old Dipu Chandra Das last week.
The Bangladesh government condemned the protest and summoned the Indian High Commissioner, Pranay Verma, to lodge its objection over the incident.
Security around the High Commission had been tightened in anticipation of the demonstration. Authorities set up three layers of barricades and deployed an additional 15,000 police and paramilitary personnel. Despite these measures, demonstrators toppled barricades, raised slogans against the Bangladesh government, and displayed banners and placards, including messages such as: “Hindu rakt ki ek ek boond ka hisaab chahiye” (each drop of a Hindu’s blood must be accounted for).
DTC buses were positioned to prevent the protesters from advancing further. According to senior police officials, authorities managed to hold the crowd around 800 metres from the High Commission.
One protester said, “A Hindu man was brutally assaulted and killed. We demand our government take strict action against those responsible, and we also want the Bangladesh Police to act against the perpetrators.”
The attack on Dipu Das occurred on December 18. The 25-year-old garment factory worker, accused of blasphemy, was forced to resign by his supervisors, who handed him over to a mob. He was then brutally beaten, killed, and his body was hung on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway before being set on fire. So far, at least 12 people have been arrested in connection with the murder.
Bangladesh Condemns Protest
Bangladesh condemned the demonstration and called in the Indian High Commissioner. In a statement, the Dhaka Foreign Ministry said:
“Bangladesh condemns such acts of premeditated violence or intimidation against diplomatic establishments, which endanger the safety of diplomatic personnel and undermine mutual respect, peace, and tolerance.”
The Ministry urged India to ensure the security of diplomatic personnel and missions.
Anti-Bangladesh protests have also erupted in Kolkata, prompting authorities to tighten security at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. Armed police personnel have been deployed, and armoured vehicles have been stationed outside the main gates to prevent any untoward incidents.