Police have clarified that the man arrested in connection with the idol vandalizm of the Hari Temple and Kali Temple in the Bhanga upazila of Faridpur is not an Indian citizen.
Although the person was initially identified as an Indian national, the police announced in a press release on Tuesday that the arrested individual is not from India but is mentally ill.
Additional Superintendent of Police Shailen Chakma of Faridpur stated that after a press release was issued on Monday regarding the vandalism of the Hari Temple and Kali Temple, Nishikant Biswas, 72, the father of the arrested individual Sanjit Biswas, 45, contacted the Faridpur district police.
He clarified that the detained person is his son, Sanjit Biswas, who is from Nijamkandi, Kaziaganj, Gopalganj.
Nishikant Biswas further informed that his son is mentally ill.
Sanjit had gone to India many years ago for work when he was about 24 or 25 years old.
At one stage, he returned home.
However, about four years ago, he left home and went missing and has not returned since, nor has he been in touch with his family.
It is known that Sanjit frequently traveled to India, which may explain why he sometimes spoke in both Bengali and Hindi.
The police official also mentioned that the person suspected of vandalizing the statues is now in jail through a court order.
Earlier, the temple authorities filed a written complaint with Bhanga police station after discovering damage to several idols on Saturday night.
According to the SP, during the investigation, authorities found two individuals near the site of the incident – one lying on a discarded cot in front of one of the temples and another on the ground beside it.
Locals identified one of the men as a familiar elderly person. However, when questioned, the other individual did not reveal his identity, which aroused suspicion.
Upon further interrogation at the local police station, he spoke alternately in Bangla and Hindi, eventually admitting that he was an Indian national.