Guwahati, India – Police in Tripura have arrested seven members of the Hindu Sangharsha Samiti for breaking into the Bangladesh consulate, vandalizing property, and desecrating the Bangladeshi national flag, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The incident occurred during protests organized by the group in response to Bangladesh’s recent arrest of Hindu religious leader Chinmoy Krishna Das on sedition charges. Around 50 protesters breached the consulate’s main gate, tore down its flagpost, and caused significant damage, according to Kiran Kumar K., a district police officer in west Tripura.
Bangladesh’s government strongly condemned the attack, demanding swift action against those responsible. In response, India’s foreign ministry issued a statement calling the incident “deeply regrettable” and emphasizing that diplomatic properties should never be targeted.
The protests, involving around 4,000 participants, also led to disciplinary action against four police officers responsible for the consulate’s security. Authorities are continuing to investigate the involvement of other individuals in the incident.
Chinmoy Krishna Das, affiliated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested in Dhaka last week. His detention has sparked widespread protests in Bangladesh, including clashes with security forces in Dhaka and Chittagong.
Hindu-majority India has expressed concerns over attacks on Hindus and other minorities in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, while the arrest has further strained relations between the two nations. Tarique Rahman, acting president of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, criticized the consulate attack on social media, warning that such actions create discord between neighbors.