Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 19: India on Saturday issued a strong condemnation over the abduction and brutal murder of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a prominent Hindu community leader in northern Bangladesh, terming it part of a growing pattern of persecution targeting minorities under the country’s interim administration.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed deep concern, stating that the attack underscores an ongoing wave of violence against Hindu and other minority communities in Bangladesh.

“The abduction and murder of Shri Bhabesh Chandra Roy is deeply distressing,” Jaiswal said in a post on X. “It reflects a larger trend of systematic targeting of minorities while perpetrators continue to enjoy impunity.” He urged Bangladesh's interim government to uphold its responsibility to protect all communities “without excuses or distinctions.”

The incident has sparked outrage, with Roy’s killing drawing particular attention due to his respected position in the Hindu community. He served as Vice-President of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad.

Roy was abducted from his home in Dinajpur on Thursday after receiving a phone call. Moments later, four unidentified men on motorcycles took him by force to Narabari village. He was reportedly beaten and later found unconscious, declared dead on arrival at the hospital. His wife, Shantana Roy, suspects the call was used to locate him before the attack.

In India, opposition leaders also condemned the murder. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge raised alarm over the treatment of religious minorities in Bangladesh and the wider implications for regional peace.

“Attacks on Hindus and other minorities are on the rise,” Kharge said. “This, coupled with recent controversial remarks by Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor about India’s northeastern states, poses a threat to India-Bangladesh ties.”

He also criticized efforts to distort the legacy of the 1971 Liberation War, emphasizing that India has always worked towards peace and prosperity for all Bangladeshis since then.

The Indian government’s remarks mark a significant diplomatic note as it continues to monitor minority rights issues in the neighbourhood, especially amidst political instability in Bangladesh.