KOLKATA — A group of Hindu religious figures and activists staged a protest in Kolkata on Saturday demanding the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for the Sanatani Jagran Jote, who has been in custody in Bangladesh since 2024.
The protesters, including Hindu monks and activists from several organisations as well as members of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), marched towards the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in the Bekbagan area.
Police stopped the procession near the diplomatic mission by putting up barricades. Tensions escalated when some protesters attempted to push through the barricades, leading to a brief confrontation with police.
After failing to move beyond the barricades, the demonstrators gathered on the road outside the Deputy High Commission and chanted slogans calling for Das’s release.
Protesters alleged that Das had been held in custody for a prolonged period without a proper trial. An NCPI activist claimed that Das was being detained because he was a Hindu monk and maintained that he had not been involved in any violence.
Das has remained in custody since 2024. In September this year, he was reportedly granted parole for five hours to attend his mother’s last rites.
More than 100 monks and nuns, along with several NCPI activists, reportedly took part in Saturday’s demonstration. A delegation of protesters later entered the Deputy High Commission and submitted a memorandum to officials.
The demonstration comes amid continuing attention in India over the treatment of Hindu minorities and religious figures in Bangladesh.
COMMENTS