Hindu man's lynching: Chaos at Bangladesh High Commission as protesters clash with police; 40 detained

Police struggled to keep the demonstrators at bay as they tried to climb over barricades and denounced the Bangladesh government with slogans and raised banners and placards in denunciation.

New Delhi: Holding saffron flags and shouting slogans against the lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh, hundreds of supporters of the VHP and the Bajrang Dal broke through barricades and clashed with police near the fortified Bangladesh high commission on Tuesday.

Several barricades lay in disarray as police struggled to contain the surge. At least 40 protesters were detained during the agitation, police said.

"The situation was brought under control. Around 40 people were detained as a preventive measure and later released," a police officer said.

The high security area witnessed a beefed-up police presence in the morning ahead of the protest announced by the right-wing outfits.

The area was secured with seven layers of barricades and a reinforced presence of police and paramilitary.

An officer said a 1,500-strong police force was deployed ahead of the demonstration. He said police managed to hold the protesters about 800 metres from the high commission.

DTC buses were parked as an obstacle to thwart the protesters' bid to reach the high commission.

A sea of banners and placards bobbed in the air, reading denunciatory messages against the Bangladesh government.

A placard read: "Hindu rakt ki ek ek boond ka hisaab chahiye (Each drop of blood of a Hindu must be accounted for)." On December 18, Dipu Chandra Das, a 25-year-old garment factory worker, was lynched by a mob and his body set on fire over blasphemy in Baluka in Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

"A Hindu man was brutally assaulted and killed. We request the government to take strict action against those who are behind the killing. We also demand that the Bangladesh police take strict action against those who are behind the lynching," a protester said.

Another said, "We in India consider every community as our brothers and sisters. Every Hindu in every country must be treated in the same way." Angry protesters accused the Bangladesh authorities of failing to protect minorities and demanded strong diplomatic steps by India to ensure the safety of Hindus living in the neighbouring country.

"What can one do when the people in Bangladesh are keeping a jihadi mentality. Every single worker of VHP and Bajrang Dal stands in support of Hindu families in Bangladesh. We will cross all the barriers and protest in front of the Bangladesh high commission," a protester told PTI, as slogan shouting reached a crescendo.

Several protesters claimed that the agitation would not be limited to a single day and warned that they would intensify the protest if their demands were not addressed.

Sumit Kashyap, a demonstrator, called for Hindu unity.

"Hindu Ekta is important. Several Bangladeshis are staying in the national capital illegally. Not even a single person has ever been harmed. Every Indian loves peace and stays peacefully. But people in Bangladesh are killing our brothers now," he said.

Satish Gupta said they were protesting against the "terrorist mentality".

"We are aware that many Bangladeshi people are hiding in our country, working in different households. Has even a single person faced any problem? We will never tolerate torture against any Indian in Bangladesh," he said.

Protesters were seen chanting the Hanuman Chalisa and raising religious slogans.

Police repeatedly appealed to them to maintain calm and not attempt to breach the barricades.

Minor scuffles broke out as demonstrators pushed against the police cordon.

A VHP leader said, "We demand proper protection of every single Hindu, compensation to the Hindu families, and proper rehabilitation for those families who were openly looted." He asserted that the protest was peaceful and lawful.

"Every single VHP and Bajrang Dal worker is protesting peacefully. We will obey the permission rules given by the government. Not even a single VHP or Bajrang Dal worker will disobey the government's permission," he said. PTI BM KVK KVK