Another Dinajpur temple attacked

We are appalled that there has been yet another attack on a religious gathering in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) temple in Dinajpur, leaving two people with bullet injuries. This is the third attack on religious minorities in this district within a period of two months. It follows the assault on an Italian priest in Dinajpur town on November 18 and a priest of Iskcon in Ranibandar village on November 30. 

It is clear that despite the police's assurances that security had been beefed up after the two previous attacks, Dinajpur is still under the radar of miscreants. The boldness with which the perpetrators hurled bombs at the temple gathering and then shot at people, in the latest attack, is a matter of grave concern. Fortunately, one of the attackers has been caught by local people while trying to escape. It should therefore be easy for the law enforcers to find out who the masterminds behind this deplorable act of terror are and what the motive was behind it. It is important also to see if all three attacks are linked and part of an overall plan to create chaos in the country.

The number of assaults on religious minorities, leaving some victims killed as well as death threats to priests and intellectuals are ominous signs for our country. Whether all this is the work of militant groups or lone wolf attacks is something that law enforcing agencies should work together to unravel. It is the responsibility of the government to allay the fears of religious minorities and intellectuals through vigorous investigation that will result in catching the criminals as well as those behind these diabolic acts.