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Published : 22 Oct 2023, 03:34 PM
Local residents turned a man over to the police after he was found holding a Quran at a puja venue during the Durga Puja celebrations in Chattogram.
The incident occurred on Saturday at the Sompara Sri Sri Raksha Kali Temple in Hathazari Upazila
The detained man, identified as 30-year-old Md Shah Alam, is a native of Ghorashal Upazila in Narsingdi.
According to the police, he suffers from mental disabilities and had previously received medical treatment. He is known to roam various shrines.
Gobind Nath, executive president of the temple's management committee, said Alam, dressed in white, had been sitting near the temple's water pump on Saturday evening.
His prolonged presence in one spot raised suspicions, prompting locals to contact the police.
"The police took him from there and searched his bag, where they found some Islamic books, including the Quran."
However, locals said police later released him due to his mental health issues, causing concern among the community.
Asked about the matter, Hathazari Police Station chief Moniruzzaman said that Shah Alam had been detained again, and a comprehensive investigation is underway to determine the reasons behind his actions.
Shah Alam exhibited incoherent speech and initial assessments indicated that he may have mental disabilities, according to him.
Police contacted his family, who provided a medical certificate that indicated that Shah Alam had received treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Oct 16, 2022, for his mental health and speech issues.
OC Moniruzzaman revealed that Shah Alam had come to Chattogram from Ghorashal and would frequently visit shrines, mosques, and temples, where he would stay for some time.
Security surrounding Durga Puja, the biggest annual festival for Bengali Hindus, has taken on added significance following the communal violence that marred the event in 2021.
Four temples, seven puja venues, along with homes and shops owned by Hindus, were vandalised after a copy of the Quran was found at a make-shift puja venue in Cumilla's Nanuar Dighir Par. Subsequently, Hindu communities in several districts, including Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram, and Cox's Bazar, were attacked.
