Chattogram, Bangladesh:
Clashes erupted between police and supporters of arrested Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das outside a court in Bangladesh’s Chattogramon on Tuesday. Hundreds of protestors, largely believed to be from the Hindu community, had gathered outside the court premises to protest against the arrest of the former ISKCON leader in a sedition case.
The unrest began around noon after the court denied bail to the Hindu priest who is also the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha.
As per Bangladeshi media, the agitators obstructed the prison van carrying the priest. After nearly three hours of deadlock, violence broke out outside the court premises, with police lobbing teargas shells, firing sound grenades, and charging batons at the protesters.
One person is feared dead in the violence, however, an official confirmation is yet to come.
Chandan Kumar Dhar, also known as Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, was arrested at a Dhaka airport on Monday afternoon. He was produced before the Chattogram Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court earlier in the day, which denied him bail.
People in large numbers reportedly gathered outside the court premises at around noon to prevent the prison van from taking him to jail.
