Hindu temple vandalised in Kurigram over land dispute

Miscreants vandalised Hindu idols and torched a temple in Fulbari upazila of Kurigram following a land dispute early Tuesday, said police. 
 
The crime took place around 1am in Nagdanga village of Naodanga union of the upazila in the temple adjacent to the house of local Ratikanto Roy, said Fazlur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Fulbari police station. 
 
As locals sensed their presence and informed Ratikanto, the miscreants fled the scene. 
 
About 40% of the temple structure was damaged in the fire, Ratikanto said. 
 
According to locals, the miscreants committed such a crime following a land dispute. 
 
Ratikanto Roy's grandfather Shirish Chandra Roy sold 60 decimal of land to Abdus Samad Ghatial of Lalmonirhat district about 35 years ago. There was also a temple on two decimal areas of the land and Samad's family had been living there for a long time. 
 
But Samad's two sons demanded two decimals of land somewhere else instead of that occupied by the temple. 
 
Finally on 6 May, the Union Parishad chairman asked Samad's sons two leave two decimals of land for the temple and road. 
 
On Monday, Samad's elder son Shahidul had an altercation with Ratikanto's brother Shibcharan over cutting bamboo in the temple area, said Samad's another son Azimul. 
 
"Then the temple was torched at night. This is done to frame us," he added. 
 
Phulbari Naodanga Union Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad General Secretary Ratan Roy said miscreants may have committed this crime to create fear among Hindus. They also demanded immediate action. 
 
However, no case has been filed yet, said the OC. 
 
Superintendent of Kurigram Police Syeda Jannat Ara said legal steps will be taken soon after an investigation.