In Bangladesh’s Rajbari district, Hindu man Amrit Mondal (alias Samrat, 29), a notorious extortionist with a murder case against him, was beaten to death by villagers in Hosendanga village on 24 December 2025, just days after the lynching of minority worker Dipu Chandra Das that triggered nationwide outrage over threats to the Hindu community.
Around 11 pm, Mondal and his gang approached resident Shahidul Islam’s home demanding extortion money; villagers raised alarms shouting “robbers,” mobbed him, and left him critically injured police arrived, rushed him to Pangsha Upazila Health Complex where he died, and sent his body for post-mortem at Rajbari Sadar Hospital.
Associate Mohammad Selim was arrested with a pistol and shotgun; Mondal, who had fled to India post-Sheikh Hasina’s ouster and recently returned, faced multiple charges.
Interim government under Muhammad Yunus condemned the act as criminal not communal, promising arrests and trials, while rights groups like Hindu Raksha Dal decry a pattern of mob justice fuelling over 2,000 minority attacks since August 2024 unrest latest: 12 arrests in Das case, probe ongoing here.
Mob Assault Follows Midnight Extortion Demand
The violence erupted late on 24 December when Mondal, leading his self-styled “Samrat Bahini” gang, arrived at Shahidul Islam’s doorstep in Pangsha upazila, Rajbari, to enforce long-standing extortion demands, locals recounted to The Daily Star and other outlets.
As occupants raised cries of “robbers” (dacoits), dozens of villagers surged forward, beating Mondal with sticks and fists until police, alerted via emergency calls, dispersed the crowd around midnight. Officers found him unconscious in a pool of blood; despite frantic efforts, doctors at Pangsha Upazila Health Complex declared him dead on arrival.
“We recovered a pistol and a single-shot gun from Selim’s possession immediately after his arrest,” Rajbari police superintendent Mohammad Humayun Kabir told reporters, adding Mondal had two active cases at Pangsha Police Station, including a 2023 murder.
The interim government’s press wing emphasised: “Preliminary investigations clearly show this arose from violent extortion and criminal activities, not communal violence strict legal action will follow against all perpetrators, including the mob.”
Criminal Record and Return from Hiding Intensify Local Fury
Villagers painted Mondal as a terror in Hosendanga, a riverside hamlet of around 5,000, where his gang allegedly extorted shopkeepers and farmers for years, amassing fear through threats and assaults.
After Sheikh Hasina’s August 2024 ouster amid student-led protests, Mondal a listed “top criminal” per police records fled across the porous India-Bangladesh border, hiding in West Bengal before slipping back weeks ago to resume operations, sources confirmed to NDTV and The Quint.
“He demanded Tk 50,000 from Shahidul last week, ignoring pleas he thought the chaos protected him,” one anonymous resident shared, highlighting how political turmoil emboldened criminals.
No family statements emerged yet, but neighbours expressed grim relief mixed with regret over the mob’s excess: “Justice should come from courts, not clubs,” an elder reflected.
Rising Vigilantism Shadows Post-Unrest Tensions
This killing echoes Dipu Chandra Das’s brutal death on 18 December in Mymensingh, where a mob lynched the 40-year-old garment worker over theft rumours prompting 12 arrests and Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus’s pledge for “zero tolerance” on vigilantism.
Since Hasina’s fall, Bangladesh has logged over 2,000 attacks on Hindus (8% of population), including temple vandalism and land grabs, per Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, though officials attribute many to opportunists exploiting anarchy rather than faith-based hate.
Rights activists like Pinaki Bhattacharya warn of a “lynching culture” where criminal tags on minorities trigger instant retribution, bypassing due process amid strained policing. Indian media and diaspora voices amplified concerns, with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee urging Delhi to press Dhaka on protections, but Bangladesh countered by spotlighting Mondal’s crimes to deflate “communal spin.”
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
No matter the crimes of individuals like Mondal, mob lynchings represent a savage betrayal of justice, tearing at the social fabric of nations like Bangladesh that aspire to harmony amid diversity.
At The Logical Indian, we unwaveringly advocate peace through dialogue, empathy, and robust legal systems calling on leaders to dismantle crime networks humanely, shield minorities from scapegoating, and invest in community policing to heal divides sown by unrest. True coexistence demands kindness over vengeance, fostering trust where fear once ruled.
