Lawyer killed in attack by Chinmoy's supporters

A lawyer was killed in an attack allegedly by the supporters of former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in Chattogram on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on the road in front of the Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Court this afternoon, Mohammad Enamul, assistant public prosecutor of the court, confirmed.

He said the deceased, Saiful Islam Alif, was a lawyer at the court.

Humayun Kabir, acting additional commissioner (crime and operation) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police, CMP, said they received reports that a lawyer was killed in an attack by the demonstrators.

Six platoons of BGB are deployed along with the police to control the situation, he said, adding that the situation is now calm.

Kayes Uddin Didar, an eye witness, told Jago News advocate Alif was at the entrance of Rangan Community Center. He was taken from there and was hacked to death.

Nurul Mostafa Sohel, a senior lawyer, said, "Alif went to the spot after being informed about an attack on a mosque. He was taken from there and was hacked dead."

Earlier, the supporters of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagaron Jote, obstructed the prison van carrying him on Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Court premises demanding his release after the court rejected his bail petition and ordered to send him to jail.

At one stage, the law enforcers fired tear gas shells and threw sound grenades to disperse them. In response, Chinmoy’s supporters started attacking various establishments and lawyers’ vehicles.

Kotwali police station’s officer-in-charge Fazlul Quader Chowdhury said, “When the police fired tear gas shells to clear the road, ISKCON activists started attacking different establishments and vehicles after being dispersed.”

AAZ/MSU