“Thought they came to talk, didn’t know they would kill him”

Following the deadly mob attack that killed a spiritual leader in Daulatpur of Kushtia, an injured eyewitness has described the sabotage act, saying, the situation escalated rapidly from what initially appeared to be a discussion.

“We thought they had come to talk. We never imagined they would kill him,” said Jamiran, a devotee who was injured in the attack.

According to his account, a group of youths carrying rods and sticks arrived in a procession, chanting slogans before entering the shrine and launching widespread vandalism.

He said the attackers then went to the upper floor, broke into the room of Pir Shamim Reza Jahangir, and dragged him out.

“They grabbed him by the neck and beat him indiscriminately with rods—on his head, face, everywhere—before dragging him downstairs,” he said.

Jamiran added that the victim, despite being critically injured, tried to speak but was given no chance. “He folded his hands and tried to say something. Even after being brought downstairs, he was still being beaten. I only heard him say ‘Ya Murshid’ before he fell silent.”

He estimated that around 80 to 90 attackers, mostly aged between 15 and 25, were involved and said the attack appeared to be premeditated.

Local sources said tensions had been rising after a video allegedly containing derogatory remarks about religion circulated on social media. On Saturday, a large crowd attacked the shrine, carried out vandalism, set parts of it on fire, and killed the religious leader.

Police said an investigation is ongoing to identify those involved, while fear and tension persist in the area.