'Deeply regrettable': India on breach of premises of Bangladesh mission in Agartala

Condemning the incident, Ministry of External Affairs said security arrangements in the premises of Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and their Assistant High Commissions in the country were stepped up.

Guwahati: A group of protesters barged into the campus of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commissioner's office in Tripura capital Agartala on Monday and reportedly damaged properties as they shouted slogans against the atrocities being perpetrated against minority Hindus in the neighbouring country.

The incident prompted the Ministry of External Affairs issue a statement calling the breach of premises of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commissioner in Agartala "deeply regrettable."

"Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targetted under any circumstances. Government is taking action to step up security arrangements for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and their Deputy/Assistant High Commissions in the country," said the statement issued on Monday evening.

This followed after Bangladesh government issued a statement expressing resentment over the incident.   

Protesters reportedly damaged the Bangladesh national flag hoisted outside and some signboards as leaders of the Hindu Sagharsh Samiti, the organiser of the protest, met the assistant High Commissioner Arif Mohammad and submitted a memorandum.

The Samti demanded safety and security of the Hindus and other minoritity communties in Bangladesh and sought action against those who attacked the temples and destroyed properties under the Yunus-led interim government.

The protesters also shouted slogans against Bangladesh interim head Mohammad Yunus for the attack on the Hindus and arrest of several monks of the ISKCON.

Videos shared on social media showed police and paramilitary forces pushing the protesters out of the campus. Members of the ruling BJP in Tripura and Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) were seen among the protesters.

This comes a day after a large number of protesters staged a demonstration near the border with Bangladesh in South Assam's Shribhumi district. The name of the district was recently changed by the BJP-led government in Assam from 'Karimganj' to 'Shribhumi'.

Monks and devotees at the Hare Krishna Mandir in North Guwahati in Assam also organised a sankirtan on Sunday to express their solidarity with the "persecuted minorities" in Bangladesh.

Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Bengal shares a long and porous 4,096km border with Bangladesh.