2 hurt in Dinajpur temple gun attack

Unidentified gunmen last night hurled a crude bomb inside a Hindu temple in Dinajpur and opened fire at its entrance, injuring two people.

The attackers first threw the bomb at a religious gathering inside the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) temple in Kaharol's Bahuchi village.

“However, it did not explode,” said Monindra Nath Roy, president of the temple management committee.

Quoting witnesses, Monsur Ali Sarker, officer-in-charge of Kaharol Police Station, said five men on two motorbikes went to Bahuchi and hurled the bomb, which did not explode but triggered a hue and cry.

When curious people started to go into the temple to see what was going on the criminals fired two shots injuring Mithun Chandra Roy, 27, and Ronojit Chandra Roy, 45. They were admitted to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital with injuries to the chest and leg.

The criminals then exploded two crude bombs to make way for their escape, the OC said.

But locals caught one of them -- Safayet Hossain -- in possession of a crude bomb, said Rabiul Foysal, UNO of Kaharol. Safayet has been arrested.

The incident triggered panic among the Hindus in the area as it was just five days after the bomb attack at Kantaji temple in the same upazila.

On November 30, Birendranath Roy, a priest of Iskcon, was shot at Ranibandar village of Chirirbandar upazila in Dinajpur, and criminals shot Piero Parolari, 67, an Italian doctor and priest, in Mirzapur area of Dinajpur town on November 18.