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Clashes at Ctg Court Over Bail Denial for Ex-ISKCON Leader

Staff Correspondent; Nation 2024-11-26, 6:54pm




The Chattogram court premises turned violent on Tuesday as clashes erupted between police and members of the Hindu community following the court’s rejection of bail for former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in a sedition case.


The unrest began around noon when thousands of Chinmoy's followers gathered outside the Chattogram Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, demanding his release and blocking the prison van carrying him. Witnesses reported a tense standoff lasting nearly three hours.

Police eventually used teargas shells, sound grenades, and baton charges to disperse the protesters and restore order.

Chinmoy, also a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha, had been arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) police on Monday evening in Dhaka's airport area. He was brought before the court earlier in the day, where the magistrate ordered him to jail and scheduled another bail hearing for Wednesday morning.

Witnesses said hundreds of protesters initially formed a blockade to prevent the prison van from leaving the premises, further escalating the situation.

The sedition case against Chinmoy was filed at Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram by Firoz Khan, a former local BNP leader who was later expelled from the party.

The incident highlights rising tensions surrounding the case, with the court premises becoming a flashpoint for protests and police action.