The father of Dipu Chandra Das -- a young Hindu man who was lynched to death by an angry Islamist mob in Bangladesh -- has spoken of his plight. In an interaction with NDTV, Ravilal Das appeared hopeless as he recounted the horror of learning about his son's death. "We started hearing things from Facebook, and then more people were talking about it," he told the news channel. Dipu Das was beaten to death and his body set on fire in Mymensingh region over allegations of insulting Islam.
Speaking to NDTV from Bangladesh, Ravilal Das said: "No one from the government has given any assurance. No one said anything." Narrating his son's horrific death, Das added: "We found out about it when someone told me he was beaten badly. Half an hour later, my uncle came and told me they took my son and they tied him to a tree...Then they poured kerosene on him and set him on fire. His burned body was left outside. They tied the burnt torso and head outside. It was horrible."
Dipu Das' lynching coincided with violent protests in Bangladesh over the killing of anti-India activist Sharif Osman Hadi, who was shot at by multiple assailants in capital city Dhaka. Muhammad Yunus-led Bangladesh government has condemned Dipu Das' killing and promised action. So far, at least seven people have been arrested in connection with the case. But the incident has once again sparked concerns over the plight of Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh, drawing fierce reactions from leaders there as well in India.