A violent clash between police and followers of former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari claimed the life of Saiful Islam, a 32-year-old lawyer, today in the Chattogram Court Building area, The Daily Star reported. Saiful, a member of the Chattogram District Bar Association, succumbed to his injuries at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) around 4:00 p.m., The Daily Star quoted Nurul Islam, in-charge of CMCH Police Camp, as saying.

Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, president of the Chattogram District Bar Association, told The Daily Star that eyewitnesses saw Saiful being dragged to Rangam Convention Hall around 3:30 p.m. by some of Chinmoy’s supporters, who then hacked him during the ongoing chaos.

Mohammad Didar, an employee of Golum Rasul Market, recounted to The Daily Star, “Some Chinmoy followers hacked the lawyer on the road next to Rangam Convention Hall.” Didar, along with other locals, rescued Saiful and rushed him to the hospital, but he could not be saved.

The clash injured at least 10 people, including journalists. Five of the injured sought treatment at CMCH.

The court had rejected Chinmoy’s bail plea around 12:00 p.m., sparking protests by thousands of his followers on the court premises. The demonstrators blocked the prison car, demanding the Hindu priest’s release, before police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) intervened using sound grenades and baton charges to disperse the crowd.

Chinmoy is facing sedition charges for allegedly hoisting a stand bearing Bangladesh’s national flag. However, the individual who filed the case has reportedly expressed a desire to withdraw it, according to a minority leader cited by The Daily Star.

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