COMILLA, BANGLADESH, October 22, 2021 (Dhaka Tribune): Iqbal Hossain, the man believed to be responsible for placing a copy of the Holy Quran at a Durga puja mandap in Nanuardighi area of Comilla, has reportedly confessed to his crimes. A high-ranking police official in Comilla, who wished to remain unnamed, confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
The police official said Iqbal confessed to placing the Quran on the lap of Hanuman, a central character in the Epic of Ramayana, before stealing the club from the idol’s hand. However, Iqbal is yet to disclose if he acted alone or if he had an aide, the official added.
CCTV footage seen by Dhaka Tribune shows Iqbal Hossain meeting with two caretakers of a local shrine on the night of the incident. It appears as though the trio met, and that a Quran, believed to be the same holy book used later, was placed in the shrine. After a brief meeting inside the mosque – run by the shrine authorities – at 11pm on October 12, Hafez Humayun kept the Quran in a closet while Iqbal was seen leaving the mosque. More footage from October 13 shows Iqbal collecting the Quran from the mosque after several hours, at 2:12am. He then walked outside and placed the Quran on the lap of an idol, Hanuman, and left the scene with its weapon, a club.
Several temples and puja venues in the city came under attack in the afternoon as tension mounted after the video went viral. Many shared the video calling for attacks on Hindu sites on allegations of sacrilege. The violence later spread across Bangladesh, leaving seven dead and many Hindu houses and businesses vandalized.
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/2021/10/22/police-iqbal-placed-holy-quran-at-comilla-mandap