Culprits' death term will give us peace: Brother of Hindu man lynched in Bangladesh

In an Exclusive telephonic interview with India Today, Apu Das, brother of Dipu Chandra Das, who was brutally killed over alleged blasphemy remarks in Bangladesh, rejected allegations made against the victim and demanded capital punishment for those responsible. Dipu worked in a sweater factory as a supervisor and was killed in Bangladesh's Mymensingh district on Thursday night.

In an Exclusive telephonic interview with India Today's Tapas Sengupta, Apu Das said the family was at home when the incident took place and Dipu Das was employed as a supervisor. “I cannot say exactly what happened inside the company, but my brother was on duty when he was attacked,” he said.

Refuting early claims that Dipu had made inappropriate remarks inside the factory, Apu Das termed the allegations “completely false”. “My brother was not the kind of person who would ever say or do such a thing. We do not believe these accusations even for a second,” he said.

The incident occurred nearly 60–70 kilometres away from the family’s residence in Singhpara Kanda. According to Apu Das, Dipu was inside the company premises at the time of the attack and was not returning home from work.

While acknowledging support from the local administration, community members and political leaders, Apu Das said nothing could compensate for the loss. “People are visiting us and helping, but my brother is gone and will never come back,” he said.

Asked about justice amid the current situation in Bangladesh, Apu Das said the family’s only demand was strict punishment. “We want justice. I want the death penalty for those who brutally murdered my brother. Nothing else will give us peace,” he said. He further added “Regardless of who has been caught, they must be executed.”

Asked if anyone from the Bangladesh government has contacted him directly, he replied, “I cannot say for sure, perhaps only slightly or indirectly.” he told India Today.

Despite the tragedy, Apu Das said the family was not living in fear. “Our neighbours and the community are standing firmly with us,” he said.

Meanwhile, Shocking details have emerged in the lynching of 27-year-old Dipu Chandra Das, according to Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police officials, Dipu was forced to resign by factory supervisors and then handed over to the mob, which brutally assaulted and killed him, hung his body on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, and set fire to it, according to reports in Bangladeshi media outlets.

Authorities said that no clear evidence had been found to substantiate the blasphemy allegations. A total of 12 people have been arrested so far, including factory officials and workers, after CCTV footage and videos of the incident were reviewed.

Earlier, the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government condemned the lynching of a Hindu man, asserting that there is no place for communal hatred or mob violence in what it described as a "New Bangladesh".

In a statement, the government said "no one involved in the brutal killing would be spared" and assured strict action against those responsible. It also urged citizens to "remain vigilant against violence instigated by what it called isolated terrorist groups seeking to destabilise the country".

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