Bangladesh Police Nab Imam Yasin Arafat, Key Suspect in Hindu Worker's Lynching Amid Rising Minority Violence

New Delhi (India) January 8: Police in Bangladesh arrested Mohammad Yasin Arafat, 25, the main suspect in the fatal stabbing of Dipu Chandra Das, a minority Hindu garment worker. 

Arafat's Arrest After 12-Day Manhunt in Madrasas

Officers located Arafat in Sarulia and took him into custody on Wednesday. A total of 21 people have been arrested in connection with this individual's murder. Arafat, a former teacher, was identified by officials as the one who orchestrated and carried out the attack.

As a statement from Mymensingh Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) Abdullah Al Mamun stated, Arafat is an imam at the Sheikhbari Mosque in Kashar. He added that the investigation into those involved in Das’ lynching is also ongoing.

"Yasin played a leading role in the murder alongside others. After the killing, he went into hiding and remained on the run for 12 days at different madrasas in Sarulia. He also joined a madrasa named Suffa as a teacher," he said.

From Mosque Imam to Mob Leader: The Accused's Role

According to police reports, Arafat was involved in the execution and planning of the attack on his former classmate. Witnesses stated he fled the scene of the crime shortly after the murder, before returning home to hide.

Law enforcement agencies allege Arafat was able to galvanise residents of the area and incite an angry mob, turning a blasphemy charge into a vicious mob murder. Investigators claim that Arafat had caused violence but also personally dragged Das to an intersection and hanged him, and set ablaze.

Arafat’s earlier role as a mosque teacher has been questioned, as authorities examine whether he had an influence beyond that of the lynching. 

Surge in Hindu Killings Post-Extremist Leader's Assassination

The lynching has coincided with a shocking increase in violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. The days after Das’s death, at least five other Hindu men have been murdered. 

Amrit Mondal in Rajbari was beaten to death; Bajendra Biswas was shot in Mymensingh; Khokon Chandra Das, a businessman, was stabbed and set on fire in Shariatpur; Rana Pratap, a newspaper editor and businessman, was shot in Jessore; and in Naogaon, a 25-year old man drowned as he fled the mob suspected.

Following the assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, an extremist leader advocating opposition to India's government, demonstrations erupted throughout the nation. With the death of this public figure came an escalation of murders against Hindus in Bangladesh.

India Urges Yunus Govt to Shield Minorities as Protests Erupt

At the same time, the situation has remained murkier, India has expressed concern and asked the government of Chief Adviser Mohammed Yunus to protect minorities. Other Indian organizations have been organizing protests against violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. 

Meanwhile, the government of Bangladesh has condemned the killing of Das and promised action against the perpetrators of the crime.