Bangladeshis protest against violence on minorities; Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus condemns attacks
Dhaka: Massive protests have erupted across Bangladesh as the Hindu community and Muslims in their support have taken to the streets following violent attacks against the homes, businesses, and places of worship belonging to the minorities. These incidents began after the resignation and departure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024.
Since the fall of the Hasina-led government, over 205 reported attacks have occurred across 52 districts in Bangladesh, leaving hundreds of Hindus injured. Among the violence, several Hindu temples were vandalized, and at least two Hindu leaders associated with the Awami League party were killed.
In response to these events, lakhs of Hindus have gathered in major cities such as Dhaka and Chittagong to demand justice and protection. Protestors are calling for the establishment of special tribunals to expedite trials of those persecuting minorities, the allocation of 10% of parliamentary seats for minorities, and the enactment of a minority protection law. The protest in Dhaka, centered at the Shahbagh intersection, blocked traffic for over three hours.
The protests have garnered support from various groups, including thousands of Muslim demonstrators who have joined in solidarity with the Hindu community. A significant rally also took place in Chittagong, with over seven lakh participants reportedly attending.
International support for the Hindu community has also surfaced, with demonstrations taking place in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Bangladesh's interim leader, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has condemned the attacks, describing them as "heinous." Yunus urged the student protesters leading the demonstrations to ensure the safety of Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist families. He emphasized the importance of national unity, stating, "You must say - no one can harm them. They are my brothers; we fought together, and we will stay together."
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Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
