Man arrested for ‘blasphemous’ Facebook post that sparked Rangpur arson

Titu Roy, the man whose alleged Facebook post ‘insulting religion’ had led to the arson of Hindu homes in Rangpur, has been arrested, says Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan.

Rangpur Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 14 Nov 2017, 10:17 AM
Updated : 15 Nov 2017, 10:49 AM

“Titu Roy has been arrested,” the minister said after inspecting the burned homes in Rangpur Sadar Upazila’s Thakurpara village on Tuesday.

“Legal measures will be taken if he is found responsible,” Khan said.

Titu hails from the village. His mother calls him a village poet. He was accused of ‘insulting religion’ in a post on Facebook.

Several homes in the village belonging to Hindu residents were set on fire last Friday during a large demonstration calling for Titu’s arrest. A man named Habibur Rahman, 30, was killed in an ensuing clash with police. Eleven others were injured.

“We have heard that Titu is illiterate,” the home minister said. “We hear he left home eight to ten years ago and now lives in Narayanganj. Police are investigating the matter to ascertain whether the allegation is real or an attempt to sow discord. These sorts of incidents are occurring nowadays. It is a conspiracy.”

“We did not find any status insulting religion on his Facebook,” said Rangpur Superintendent of Police Mizanur Rahman. “False information was spread to stir attacks, arson and looting against the Hindu community.”

“My son never went to school,” said Titu’s mother Jiten Bala adding his son practised herbal medicine.

“He left home ten years ago to try to make a living. We still stay in touch,” she told bdnews24.com,

Two cases have been filed at the Gangachara and Kotowali Police Stations over the attacks. Over 2,000 people have been accused in the cases. Police have arrested 128. The district administration has also formed a probe.