New Delhi terms Bhabesh's death in Dinajpur a ‘systematic murder’

"We once again remind the interim government to live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities," spokesperson Jaiswal says

New Delhi has sought to link the death of a Puja Udjapan Parishad leader in Dinajpur’s Biral Upazila to the persecution of the Hindu minority, calling it a "systematic murder".

“We have noted with distress the abduction and brutal killing of Shri Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a Hindu minority leader in Bangladesh. This killing follows a pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities under the interim government,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote on X on Saturday.

A man named Bhabesh Chandra Roy, 52, died in Biral on Thursday. He served as vice-president of the Biral Upazila unit of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad.

Indian newspaper the Hindustan Times wrote, "Bhabesh's death by beating after abduction was reported by PTI [Press Trust of India] citing local media reports.

Systematic persecution is typically defined as oppression inflicted on someone because of their race, religion, or political ideology.

In the X post, Jaiswal alleged that previous perpetrators of such events “roam with impunity”.

The Indian government has been vocal about the "persecution" of Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh since Aug 5, 2024 following the change in political landscape.

There has been a diplomatic row between the two countries over the issue.

Bhabesh's son, Swapan Chandra Roy, told bdnews24.com that his father had gone to a nearby market on a motorcycle with some people he knew in the area.

Then, around 8pm, a man named Ratan informed him about his father's illness. Later the physician declared him dead when he was taken to the hospital.

Mortuza, the on-duty emergency department physician at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital who gives a single name, wrote in the death certificate that Bhabesh Chandra died before being brought to the hospital.

Biral Police Station chief Abdus Sabur said: "No case was filed in connection with the incident."

No injury marks were found on the body, he added.

Jaiswal also added, “We condemn this incident and once again remind the interim government to live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities, including Hindus, without inventing excuses or making distinctions.”