Hindus in panic

As police are yet to arrest the perpetrators behind the attacks on two temples in the last three months, 200 Hindu families in Shialkhawa village under Kaliganj upazila of the district are living in fear of further attacks.

Hindus said unidentified criminals attacked Sree Sree Kali Mandir on Wednesday and vandalised statues of God Sree Sree Shiva and Goddess Sree Sree Kali. Unidentified criminals had also attacked Sachchidananda Sebashram Temple in the village on September 1.

"We lodged a complaint with Kaliganj Police Station following the attack on September 1, but police didn't take any action," said General Secretary of Sachchidananda Sebashram Temple Committee Fanibhuson Roy.

Tarok Chandra Barmon, 65, of the village, said if police had taken action following the attack in September, the criminals would not have dared attacking another temple.

"We pray in the temple during the day but we cannot guard it at night," said Narayan Chandra Roy,70.

President of Sree Sree Kali Mandir Puspojit Sarker said, "We have no enmity with anyone in the village, so we cannot find any reason behind the attacks."

Superintendent of Police in Lalmonirhat SM Rashidul Haque said police will ensure security to the Hindus in the village.

Local Hindus urged the police to identify the culprits and ensure exemplary punishment to them.