‘Take immediate steps’: Iskcon urges India to intervene following Hindu priest Chinmoy Brahmchari’s arrest in Bangladesh – Times of India

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) has called upon India to take swift action and engage with Bangladesh for the release of their prominent priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was detained in Bangladesh.
Iskcon has strongly denied allegations stating that claims of their involvement in terrorist activities worldwide are unfounded and unacceptable.
“We have come across disturbing reports that Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das, one of the prominent leaders of Iskcon Bangladesh, has been detained by the Dhaka police,” it said.

“It is outrageous to make baseless allegations that Iskcon has anything to do with terrorism anywhere in the world. Iskcon,Inc. urges the Government of India to take immediate steps and speak to the Government of Bangladesh and convey that we are a peace-loving Bhakti movement,” it added.
The arrest took place when detectives apprehended Chinmoy Krishna Das near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. Daily Star reported that authorities filed a sedition case on October 31 against 19 individuals, including Chinmoy, who previously served as divisional organising secretary of Iskcon, Chattogram.
The case statement details an incident from October 25, where “a group of youths reportedly placed a saffron-coloured flag over the Bangladeshi flag on the Independent pillar (Shadhinata Smathamva) at Zero Point near the New Market intersection during a rally organised by the Hindu community under the banner ‘Sanatan Jagaran Mancha.'”
Meanwhile, Hindu communities organised protests demanding enhanced legal protection and establishment of a minority affairs ministry under the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, amidst ongoing political unrest.
Iskcon spokesperson Radharamn Das expressed serious concerns about Chinmoy’s arrest, stating that Dhaka police transported the priest to an unknown location.
Bangladeshi police previously arrested two suspects, Rajesh Chowdhury and Hriday Das, in Chattogram’s Sadarghat area regarding the October 31 case.
The remaining accused include Ajay Dutta, Leela Raj Das Brahmachari, Gopal Das Tipu, Dr Kathak Das, Engineer Amit Dhar, Roni Das, Rajib Das, Krishna Kumar Dutta, Jiku Chowdhury, Newton Dey, Tushar Chakraborty Rajib, Mithun Dey, Rupan Dhar, Rimon Dutta, Sukanta Das and Biswajit Gupta.