Idols vandalised at five temples in Dinajpur

A group of unidentified miscreants has vandalised idols at five temples in Dinajpur's Chirirbandar upazila.

Locals found idols of the five temples damaged yesterday morning.

In the last five days, idols of at least 12 temples were vandalised in the upazila. All these temples are situated in the upazila's Abdulpur, Auliapukur and Saitara unions.

Ratan Singh, general secretary of Dinajpur Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, confirmed it.

Local religious minorities protested the incident while police arrested five people in connection with the incident.

Earlier in the last couple of weeks, six temples in Chirirbandar upazila were vandalised by miscreants. Two cases were filed on February 3 over the incident, said police in the upazila.

So far, police arrested four persons in connection with the incidents took place in the last couple of weeks, said Ashok Kumar Chowhan, Officer in Charge of Nawabganj Police station.

According to Dinajpur Chapter of Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, the first idol vandalism incident took place on January 23 night at a Durga Temple in Nawabganj upazila.

The next day, a case was filed with Nawaganj Police Station mentioning nobody's names.

Protesting the incidents, Hindu community people staged a demonstration in Dinajpur on Wednesday.

A protest procession was brought out and a human chain was formed in front of local Press Club.

Dinajpur Chapter of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, and Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad spoke at the human chain.