At least ten persons, including a woman, have been injured in Bangladesh when a clash erupted between Hindus at an Iskcon temple and Muslim devotees from a nearby mosque, forcing police to fire blank shots to disperse them. The clash took place after Friday prayers when Muslim devotees went to the temple to request the authorities to stop playing the devotional songs that were being played on occasion of a kirtan , said Sylhet Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner S.M. Rokan Uddin.
“Muslim devotees went to the temple before the jumma prayers and had requested the temple authorities to stop the devotional songs while the prayers are held. However, when the songs were not stopped, the devotees went there again and got locked in an altercation,” Mr. Uddin said. At one point, both groups started hurling bricks leaving ten people injured, he added. On being alerted, police rushed to the spot and fired several blank shots.
When contacted, Iskcon temple Principal Gaurango Brahmachari said the temple authorities were considering filing a case.