In Bangladesh, a 50-year-old Hindu businessman was brutally attacked, stabbed and set on fire by miscreants in Damudya upazila of Shariatpur district on Wednesday night, police said. The victim, Khokon Chandra Das, who runs a medicine shop and mobile banking service at Keurbhanga Bazar, was returning home in an auto rickshaw around 9:30 pm when a group of attackers stopped him near Tiloi area, assaulted him with sharp weapons and robbed him of cash. The assailants then poured flammable liquid on him and set him on fire. Injured, Khokon jumped into a nearby pond to save himself.

Local residents, alerted by his screams, rescued him and rushed him to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital, from where he was later referred to a hospital in Dhaka due to critical injuries, including stab wounds and burn marks. Khokon Das’s wife, Seema Das, told local media that Khokon had recognised at least two of the attackers, which led them to attempt to kill him.

Police said the names of two suspects, identified as local residents Rabbi and Sohag, have been confirmed and efforts are underway to arrest them. The incident comes amid concerns over a series of violent attacks on members of minority community reported in recent weeks, including mob lynching of Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mondal.