On December 10th, unidentified gunmen hurled a crude bomb inside a Namahatta center in Dinajpur, Bangladesh, where thousands of congregational members and guests have gathered from all over Northern Bangladesh.
“Luckily, it did not explode,” said ISKCON general secretary of Bangladesh Caru Candra Dasa, “however, the attackers opened fire at the entrance, injuring two people.”
Quoting witnesses, Monsur Ali Sarker, officer-in-charge of Kaharol Police Station, said five men on two motorbikes went to Bahuchi and hurled the bomb, which did not explode but triggered a hue and cry.
When curious people started to go into the temple to see what was going on the criminals fired two shots injuring Mithun Chandra Roy, 27, and Ronojit Chandra Roy, 45. They were admitted to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital with injuries to the chest and leg.
The criminals then exploded two crude bombs to make way for their escape, the officer said. However, locals caught one of them — Safayet Hossain — in possession of a crude bomb, said Rabiul Foysal, UNO of Kaharol. Safayet has been arrested.
The incident triggered panic among the Hindus in the area as it was just five days after the bomb attack at Kantaji temple in the same district.
On November 30th, Birendranath Roy, a priest of ISKCION, was shot at Ranibandar village of Chirirbandar district in Dinajpur, and criminals shot Piero Parolari, 67, an Italian doctor and priest, in Mirzapur area of Dinajpur town on November 18th.