Gold crown gifted by PM Modi to Bangladesh temple stolen amid Durga Puja celebrations
Dhaka, Oct 11: A gold crown gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was stolen from a Hindu temple in Bangladesh's southwestern Satkhira district amid Durga Puja celebrations, a theft over which India has expressed concern.
Bangladesh police on Friday said they have identified a man and launched a massive manhunt to recover the gold crown that was stolen from the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple on Thursday.
In a post on 'X', the Indian High Commission in Dhaka expressed deep concern over the theft and called upon the authorities to recover the article and take action against the perpetrators of the crime.
“A massive manhunt is underway to arrest the culprit identified through the CCTV footage,” Satkhira’s police chief Monirul Islam said adding that the police were aware that the issue was sensitive.
The police superintendent said the crown was stolen between 2.47 pm and 2.50 pm on Thursday.
A private news channel showed a young man wearing a white t-shirt and jeans sneaking into the Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple and removing the golden part of the crown and pocketing it while nobody was inside the temple.
A woman worker later discovered that the crown was missing from the head of the Kali statue and raised the alarm.
According to Hindu residents of the neighbourhood, priest Dilip Kumar Banerjee went home as per his daily routine after the afternoon puja, leaving the key of the temple with Rekha who was in charge of the temple services.
“It could be a simple case of theft or it could be a case of an orchestrated plot. We demand the matter be investigated properly and the persons involved be brought to justice,” leader of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council Krishna Mukherjee said.
Modi gifted the crown on March 27, 2021, during his Bangladesh visit.
India expressed concern over the incident with its high commission in Dhaka issuing a statement asking authorities to recover the crown and take action against the perpetrators.
"We express concern over the incident and urge the Government of Bangladesh to investigate the theft, recover the crown and take action against the perpetrators," the High Commission said in a Facebook post.
The theft took place even as the country ordered an extra security vigil as the Hindu community’s biggest religious festival Durga Puja is underway.
📹 Kali Jewel Heist Caught on Camera: Crown Gifted by Modi Stolen from Temple in Bangladesh
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) October 11, 2024
Staff at the Jeshoreshwari Temple in Satkhira reported the silver & gold-plated piece gone on Thursday. (Daily Star)
Indian PM Modi presented it as a gift during a visit in 2021. pic.twitter.com/1cmP21ABdL
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Kerala lynching: CM assures justice, CPI (M) targets RSS-BJP over incident
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The Kerala government on Monday assured stringent action in the mob lynching of a Chattisgarh native mistaken to be a thief, and promised justice to the family, even as the ruling CPI(M) targeted the RSS over the assault, a charge denied by the BJP.
Ramnarayan (31), was allegedly beaten to death on Wednesday after being accused of involvement in theft at Kizhakeattappallam near Walayar in Palakkad district.
With the issue sending shock waves across the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday described the incident as "deeply disturbing".
Assuring justice to his family, who have arrived in the state, Vijayan said such acts tarnish the reputation of a progressive society like Kerala and are completely unacceptable.
State minister M B Rajesh claimed racial slurs were made at the victim and that the attackers were RSS workers. Ruling CPI (M) state secretary M V Govindan also alleged that RSS-BJP workers were behind the crime.
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In a statement issued by the CM's office, Vijayan said strict action would be taken against those responsible for the crime.
A special investigation team of the district police is probing the incident, he said, adding that instructions have been issued to thoroughly examine the details of the case and initiate all necessary legal proceedings.
The government will also review the matter and ensure appropriate compensation to the victim's family, Vijayan added.
He called for collective vigilance to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.
His remarks came a day after opposition Congress and the victim's family demanded compensation and an investigation under stringent laws, including the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The brother of deceased man told reporters on Sunday that the family would not accept the body until their demands, including compensation of Rs 25 lakh, are met.
Kerala ministers K Rajan and Rajesh strongly condemned the incident and said it was not just a mob lynching case but racial abuse was involved in it.
The ministers said the accused had attacked the deceased man, calling him a "Bangladeshi" and beat him to death.
"The government will ensure a foolproof probe into the incident, and no one involved in the crime will be spared," Revenue Minister Rajan told reporters in Thrissur.
He said an amount not less than Rs 10 lakh would be granted from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) to the deceased man's family and a cabinet meeting would take a decision in this regard.
LSGD Minister Rajesh also said Ramnarayan was branded as a Bangladeshi by the attackers.
While talking to reporters in Palakkad, he alleged that those who brutally assaulted and killed Ramnarayan were RSS workers.
The Chhattisgarh native, who reached Kerala in search of a job, became a victim of the "divisive politics" of Sangh Parivar, Rajesh further alleged.
"Branding a person as Bangladeshi came from racial politics. Ramnarayan was a victim of the racial poison spread by the Sangh Parivar in the country," he charged.
Rajesh also accused a section of the media of hiding the involvement of the RSS in the assault.
Stepping up the attack against the right-wing groups, CPI (M) state secretary M V Govindan alleged that RSS-BJP workers were the ones behind the crime.
"Those involved in the incident were accused in various criminal cases of RSS. All of them were identified. Such cruelties should not be allowed to repeat in the state," he said.
Expressing strong protest, the senior leader further said a society which believes in democratic values and secular principles cannot accept such crimes.
Senior BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan strongly rejected the charges against the saffron party and the RSS.
"Actually, why is politics mixed in such crimes. When a heinous crime like mob lynching happens, should it not be treated as an anti-social act," he told reporters here.
Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan urged the government to take urgent steps to provide financial assistance to the family of Ramnarayan.
Meanwhile, Palakkad Superintendent of Police Ajit Kumar said at present, the case was registered under sections of murder, and after a detailed probe, more would be added.
After verifying the caste certificate of the deceased man, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act would also be invoked, he told reporters in Palakkad.
A 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed under the DSP (district crime branch) to probe the mob lynching incident. The SIT will be under the direction and supervision of the Pakakkad SP, he added.
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When reporters asked about the political background of the accused persons, the officer said it was being verified.
He said that the arrested persons were already facing police cases.
Five people have been arrested so far for allegedly beating Ramnarayan to death on suspicion of theft.
The injured man was rushed to the Palakkad District Government Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
