At least ten persons, including a woman, have been injured in Bangladesh when a clash erupted between Hindus at an ISKCON temple and Muslim devotees from a nearby mosque, forcing police to fire blank shots to disperse them. The clash took place after Friday prayers when Muslim devotees went to the temple to request the authorities to stop playing the devotional songs that were being played on occasion of Kirtan at the temple, said Sylhet Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner SM Rokan Uddin.
"Muslim devotees went to the temple before the Jumma prayers and had requested the temple authorities to stop the devotional songs while the prayers are held. However, when the songs were not stopped, the devotees went there again and locked in an altercation," Uddin said.
At one point, both groups started hurling bricks at one another leaving ten people injured, he added. On being alerted, police rushed to the spot and fired several blank shots to disperse the crowds. An eyewitness said banners at the entrance of the temple were torn up during the clash.
When contacted, ISKCON temple Principal Gaurango Brahmachari said: "Sylhet Divisional Commissioner Jamal Uddin Ahmad is visiting the spot and this is why I am unable to make any comment at this moment". But he said the temple authorities were considering filing a case in this matter.
"We were attacked and we want justice. Until justice is done, we will keep protesting," he said.
Former ward councillor Jebunnahar Shirin and International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) temple employee Rajendra Keshob Das were injured in the clash.
