Puja pavilion attack, crown theft ‘deplorable events’: India

India has called the attack on a Puja pavilion in Bangladesh and the theft of a crown gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi deplorable events.

In a statement on Saturday, the Indian foreign ministry said: “We have noted with serious concern the attack on a Puja pavilion in Dhaka’s Tantibazar and the theft at the revered Jeshoreshwari Kali temple in Satkhira.”

“These are deplorable events. They follow a systematic pattern of desecration and damage to temples and deities that we have witnessed over several days now,” the statement said.

On Thursday, the crown, a gift from Modi, was stolen from the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple during an annaprashan ceremony.

Modi visited the temple during his trip to Bangladesh on Mar 27, 2021, when he placed the gold crown on the idol of Kali as a gift.

Rekha Sarkar, a servitor at the temple, said: “After the ceremony, the priest Dilip Kumar Banerjee handed over the keys to me and left. After that, I inadvertently left the temple door open while I went to wash the utensils used for the Puja at the nearby tube well. When I returned after a minute or two, I found that the crown on the idol's head was missing. I then informed everyone present at the temple about it.”

The temple’s CCTV footage showed a man, estimated to be around 35 years old, entering the temple around 2:49pm and taking the crown from the idol of Kali.

The suspect then concealed it in his T-shirt before leaving without raising suspicion.

Although police arrested four suspects and sent them to court, they have not yet been able to apprehend the actual thief or recover the crown.

In a separate incident, on Friday evening, a petrol bomb was thrown at a Puja pavilion in Tantibazar during the Durga Puja festival. Police recovered the unexploded bomb.

Initial reports indicate that four volunteer workers at the pavilion were injured in the attack and have been admitted to Mitford Hospital for treatment.

Police suspect the incident was the work of robbers and have arrested three suspects in connection with the attack.

ICT Advisor Nahid Islam visited the injured in the hospital on Saturday, assuring them that they would receive the best medical care.

He said, “The perpetrators will be brought to justice swiftly. We will not allow any attempts to create unrest during this festive season.”

The Indian foreign ministry also called on the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minority communities, as well as their places of worship, especially during this auspicious festival period.