New Delhi, April 19: India has strongly condemned the abduction and murder of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a prominent Hindu minority leader in Bangladesh, describing the incident as part of a disturbing trend of violence against religious minorities.
In a statement posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "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, even as the perpetrators of previous such events roam with impunity."
India urged the interim Bangladeshi government to uphold its responsibility to protect all minorities, without making distinctions or offering excuses.
Roy, vice-president of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, was abducted earlier this week from his home in Basudebpur village under Shatagram Union, Dinajpur district. According to his son, Sapan Roy, four young men arrived on motorcycles and forcibly took his father away after confirming his presence through a phone call.
“He was brought back unconscious and rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” Sapan told .
Local reports indicate that Roy was taken to nearby Narabari village, where he was brutally beaten before being returned to his family on a van. He was initially admitted to the Biral Upazila Health Complex and later transferred to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.
The police have confirmed that a postmortem has been completed, though the report findings are yet to be disclosed. "We will take action after receiving the report," said Abdus Sabur, officer-in-charge of Biral Police Station, noting that a case has not yet been officially filed as the family is currently focused on funeral arrangements.
Roy's wife, Shantana Roy, told The Daily Star that she could identify two of the attackers and believes the abduction was premeditated.
Police said a case is being prepared, and efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest those responsible for the killing.
