15-year-old Utsav Mondal was brutally beaten by a mob inside a police station in the Sonadanga residential area on the night of September 4. Mondal, a Hindu teenager, had been detained on accusations of making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad on social media. This alleged blasphemy ignited a firestorm of rage from local Islamists, leading to an unspeakable act of brutality.
Initial reports indicate that Mondal was brought to the office of the Khulna Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner (South) by students from Khulna’s Azam Khan Government Commerce College around 8 p.m. As news of the alleged offense spread, a violent mob estimated between 3,000 to 5,000 gathered outside the police station, demanding that Mondal be handed over to them. Despite police assurances that Mondal would face legal consequences through proper judicial channels, the mob’s demands were met with violent escalation.
In an unprecedented breach of security, the mob stormed the police station, overpowering the police, army, and navy personnel present. Mondal, held inside the station, was subjected to a savage assault by the enraged crowd, leaving him critically injured.
Local media initially reported that Mondal had succumbed to his injuries, but Khulna Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Commissioner (South), Mohammad Tajul Islam, later confirmed that the teenager was still alive and receiving medical treatment. Disturbingly, a viral video shows Mondal lying in a pool of blood, with attackers attempting to gouge out his eyes.
Despite Mondal’s dire condition, legal proceedings against him continue. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that legal action has been initiated for “hurting religious sentiments,” and Mondal will be handed over to the police once his health allows.
However, Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government, Muhammad Yunus, dismissed these violent attacks on Hindus as “exaggerated” and attributed them to political fallout rather than genuine communal tensions. His comments starkly contrast with the harrowing reality faced by minorities in Bangladesh, underscoring the systemic failures and deep-seated prejudices within the nation’s institutions.