After a man was killed in a possible theft at a crematorium in Natore, the Indian news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) described the incident as communal violence without proper verification.
On Saturday, PTI published the news, quoting a video from Kolkata Iskcon spokesperson Radharaman Das’s X (formerly Twitter) handle.
However, no Bangladeshi authorities, Hindu leaders, or family members of the victim were consulted or quoted in the report.
This story was widely picked up by Indian media outlets, including Hindustan Times and The Indian Express.
Hrishikesh Gauranga Das, a member of the executive committee of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) Bangladesh, criticized the unverified claims, saying: “It is irresponsible to label an incident as a communal murder without proper verification. Such exaggerated reports can harm communal harmony in Bangladesh.”
He further clarified that the victim, Tarun Kumar, was not a member of Iskcon and urged the media to verify information locally or through official channels before publishing.
The police recovered the body of 60-year-old Tarun Kumar Das from the Bara Harishpur cremation ground in Natore on Saturday.
Initial investigations suggest that he was strangled after he screamed when unidentified thieves were attempting to steal bronze plates from the crematorium’s Bhogghar.
A local community leader revealed that the victim had been mentally ill for a long time and had been staying at the crematorium for several days.
Natore Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Mahbubor Rahman said: “Based on initial information, it appears that some drug addicts may have attempted a theft. We are investigating all possible motives for the murder.”
Satya Narayan Roy Tipu, general secretary of the cremation committee in Natore, said: “Tarun Kumar was not a member of the cremation committee, nor was he a priest. He had a history of mental instability. We do not believe this incident was communal in nature.”
This clarification emphasizes the importance of verifying information before reporting on sensitive matters, especially to avoid misleading narratives that can harm communal relations.
