Who was Amrit Mondal? Hindu man lynched in Bangladesh after extortion allegations

A Hindu man was beaten to death by a mob in Bangladesh’s Rajbari district on Wednesday night following allegations that he had gone to a villager’s home to demand extortion money, local media reported.

The incident occurred around 11 pm in Hosendanga village in Pangsha upazila, Rajbari district. The victim was identified as Amrit Mondal, also known as Samrat, a resident of the same village, according to The Daily Star.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (Pangsha Circle) Debrata Sarkar said Mondal, along with members of his group, allegedly went to the house of a villager, Shahidul Islam, and demanded money. After Shahidul and his family raised an alarm, local residents rushed to the spot.

While Mondal’s associates managed to escape, he was caught by locals and reportedly found in possession of weapons. He was beaten and later taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

Police and local residents told The Daily Star that Mondal was allegedly involved in extortion and other criminal activities, with multiple cases pending against him, including a murder case. A report by Prothom Alo said the 29-year-old had allegedly formed a group bearing his name that authorities described as being involved in intimidation and extortion in the area.

Police said one of Mondal’s associates, Mohammad Selim, has been arrested in connection with the case, and firearms were recovered from his possession. Records cited by local media said Mondal had at least two cases registered against him at Pangsha Police Station.

In a separate incident on Wednesday, a young man died in Dhaka after being injured when miscreants allegedly hurled a crude bomb from a flyover, local reports said. The incident took place around 7:30 pm near the Muktijoddha Central Command Council, where the victim was reportedly drinking tea at a roadside stall.

The incidents come amid heightened tension in parts of Bangladesh following recent violent episodes, including the killing of 27-year-old Dipu Chandra Das last week. The unrest follows the death of Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in last year’s student protests, who died from gunshot injuries on December 18. Interim government chief Mohammad Yunus has said swift action has been ordered, with at least 10 arrests made in that case.