Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi on Tuesday to protest the killing of a Hindu man in Bangladesh, an incident that has heightened tensions between the two neighboring countries.
The protest followed the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a 27 year old factory worker, who was beaten and set on fire last week in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district after being accused of making derogatory remarks about the Prophet, according to police. Authorities said at least 10 people have been arrested in connection with his death.
The killing has added strain to already fragile relations between Hindu majority India and Muslim majority Bangladesh, just weeks before Bangladesh is set to hold a parliamentary election.
Both countries have suspended visa services in recent weeks, amid a broader diplomatic chill that began after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi following deadly protests against her government last year, according to Reuters.
Tuesday’s demonstration in New Delhi was organized by Hindu groups and saw protesters attempting to breach police barricades near the High Commission, television footage showed. Some demonstrators clashed briefly with security personnel, chanted slogans, and burned images of Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus while holding placards calling for a boycott of Bangladesh.
One protester told broadcaster India Today that the demonstration was meant to draw attention to the treatment of Hindus across the border.
“We needed to raise the voice of Hindus in Bangladesh in Delhi, and we have done that,” the protester said. “As long as even one Hindu is being harmed there, we will be awake and will not stop.”
Similar demonstrations were reported in other parts of India, including the Jammu and Kashmir region.
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Bangladesh’s foreign ministry said it summoned India’s envoy on Tuesday to express concern over what it described as violent protests near its diplomatic missions, urging Indian authorities to investigate the incidents.
India’s foreign ministry responded earlier by saying a protest near the High Commission over the weekend involved a small group that was dispersed quickly. India added it remained committed to ensuring the safety of foreign diplomatic missions.
The tensions with India come as Bangladesh faces mounting internal unrest. Protests have spread following the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who was shot while launching his campaign for February’s parliamentary election last week.
That killing triggered widespread demonstrations that escalated into arson and vandalism targeting major media organizations and cultural institutions, according to local authorities and international media reports.