Another incident of mob violence involving a Hindu man has been reported from Bangladesh, coming just days after the brutal lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, raising fresh concerns over law and order and the growing pattern of vigilante attacks.
Late on Wednesday night, a Hindu man accused of extortion was beaten to death by a group of villagers in the Rajbari district. The victim was identified as 30-year-old Amrit Mondal, also known locally as Samrat, who lived in the same village where the incident occurred. According to reports, the attack took place around 11 pm, when villagers allegedly turned violent after an altercation.
Police officials said Mondal was found in critical condition following the assault and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead around 2 am. The incident was later confirmed by local authorities, with details also reported by Bangladeshi media.
Following the incident, police detained one of Mondal’s associates, identified as Mohammad Selim. During the arrest, officers recovered two firearms from Selim’s possession, including a pistol and a locally manufactured single-shot gun, raising concerns about the presence of illegal weapons in the area.
According to the police, Mondal had multiple criminal cases registered against him, including a murder case. Officials alleged that he was the leader of a local gang known as “Samrat Bahini,” which he had reportedly formed himself. The group was accused of extorting money from villagers by issuing threats and using intimidation tactics.
Citing accounts from local residents, police said Mondal was known for routinely harassing villagers and collecting forced donations. He had reportedly returned to the village recently after spending a long period in India, which, according to locals, coincided with renewed extortion attempts.
Villagers claimed that on Wednesday night, Mondal and several associates went to the house of a local resident, Shahidul Islam, allegedly to demand extortion money. When the family raised an alarm by shouting that robbers had entered the house, nearby residents gathered quickly. In the chaos that followed, Mondal was assaulted by the crowd, while his associates managed to escape. Selim, however, was caught at the scene with weapons and handed over to the police.
This killing comes just days after another mob lynching involving a Hindu man in the Mymensingh district. In that case, 27-year-old Dipu Chandra Das, a garment factory worker, was attacked after unverified allegations of blasphemy were circulated against him.
Police had earlier stated that Dipu Chandra Das was beaten to death by a mob, after which his body was tied to a tree and set on fire. His remains were later recovered and sent to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination.
The earlier lynching was strongly condemned by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, which stated that mob violence and communal hatred had no place in what it described as a “New Bangladesh.” The government assured strict legal action against those responsible.
Both incidents have taken place amid a tense atmosphere in the country, following widespread unrest triggered by the death of political activist Sharif Osman Hadi. Hadi died after sustaining gunshot injuries and undergoing treatment in Singapore, and news of his death sparked protests, vandalism, and attacks on political and diplomatic sites across several parts of Bangladesh.
