Several injured after protests break out in Bangladesh over arrest of Hindu monk

Several people were injured as protests broke out in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh against the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu, a prominent leader of the Hindu group Sammilita Sanatani Jote.

Prabhu, a monk leading protests against atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, was arrested by the Dhaka Police’s Detective Branch on Monday (November 25) at Dhaka airport.

Visuals from Bangladesh showed protests in Dhaka, Chittagong and other parts of the South Asian nation against the arrest of Prabhu.

In Dhaka, members of the Hindu community protested in the Shahbagh area, where several people raised slogans and also blocked key roads demanding the immediate release of Prabhu.

According to a report by the Dhaka Tribune, members of the Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) also protested against the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das.

During the protest, several people were injured after being attacked by unidentified people.

In addition, people also protested in another major city of Bangladesh, Chittagong, against the arrest of Prabhu. A video from the city showed people switching on their mobile flashlights in a protest against the arrest of the Hindu leader.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar condemned the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu and called for the intervention of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to " take a serious note of the matter and take urgent steps".

"Chinmoy Prabhu, also known as Sri Chinmay Krishna Das Prabhu, a Sanatani Hindu leader of Bangladesh, a monk of the ISKCON temple, and the voice of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, has been arrested by Dhaka police for holding a peaceful protest on Monday. As per some media reports, Monk Chinmoy Prabhu was picked up from Dhaka Airport by Dhaka Police on Monday afternoon and he has been taken to the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police," Majumdar said.

"I condemn the unjust arrest of the honourable Chinmoy Prabhu, who has been tirelessly working for the rights of the Sanatani Hindu community in Bangladesh. I urge Dr S JaishankarJi to kindly take a serious note of the matter and take urgent steps," he added.

Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu was arrested on charges of disrespecting the Bangladeshi flag at a rally which he had addressed in October, according to the Bangladeshi media.

His arrest comes amid heightened tensions in Bangladesh over the rising reports of violence against Hindus, including attacks on temples, homes, and businesses.

Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the President of Pundarik Dham in Bangladesh, was one of the 18 charged with sedition over the hoisting of a saffron flag in Bangladesh.