The Sanatan religious organization, International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is alleged to be involved in incidents of unrest, acid attacks, and assaults on law enforcement officers in Chittagong's Hazari Lane, according to local police.
In connection with the incident, 582 individuals have been accused in a police case, with 49 arrests made so far.
Authorities are also probing whether political motivations were involved.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Deputy Commissioner for Crime and Operations, Roish Uddin, disclosed these details during a press briefing at the Dampara Police Lines media center on Wednesday at 3:30pm.
He said, "Nine police officers sustained injuries during the attack. The incident began with a Facebook post about ISKCON by Osman Ali, which led our Kotwali police station to respond to a 999 emergency call. Upon arrival, officers found a crowd attempting to seize Ali. As tensions rose, additional police and army personnel were deployed. In the ensuing clash, the crowd threw bricks and acid at the police, injuring nine officers, one of whom suffered acid burns.”
DC Roish Uddin further said: "Although we detained numerous individuals at the scene, 82 have been shown arrested. Most of them are reportedly ISKCON supporters, though a few may be Muslim. This aspect is still under investigation."
Regarding the temporary sealing of several medicine shops in Hazari Lane, which reportedly caused difficulties for patients in the city, he clarified: "We have not ordered their closure. For security reasons, some shops were temporarily closed by the district administration to prevent vandalism or looting. Not all shops were shut down."
The DC said that during the preliminary questioning, it was revealed that those involved in the incident had chanted slogans of 'Jai Sriram'. After analyzing social media activity and the misinformation shared on Facebook, it was found that ISKCON supporters were involved.
When asked if political influences were at play, he replied: “We are continuing to question the suspects to determine if any political connections are involved. Our efforts to maintain peace and prevent further violence are ongoing.”
Addressing concerns over potential communal tensions, DC Roish Uddin assured: “We are actively working to prevent any escalation of communal unrest. Our preventive measures remain steadfast.”
On the question of legal action against Osman Ali, who was initially at risk of being mobbed for his Facebook post, he said, “Ali is currently in custody. If a formal complaint is lodged by anyone who feels religiously offended, legal steps will be taken.”
The police had filed a case at the Kotwali station early Wedneday, charging those involved under the Acid Prevention Act for obstructing and assaulting law enforcement officers.
CMP’s Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media), Kazi Md Tarek Aziz, confirmed that while 82 named individuals have been detained, another 500 unidentified individuals are also listed as suspects in the case.