In what was to be a week of celebrations and jubilations for the minority Bangladeshi Hindus as they celebrated Durga Puja, horror-struck after mobs attacked multiple venues in several cities and bloodshed was seen at the pandals.

At least five incidents of vandalism against Durga idols have been reported in various parts of the country in the past 24 hours, killing over half a dozen Hindus.

The latest and arguably the worst incident took place at Nanua Dighi in Comilla on Wednesday evening, wherein a Durga Puja pandal was attacked by a mob. The idol was reportedly thrown into a pond after the mob turned furious over rumors that a copy of the Holy Quran was placed at the feet of Goddess Durga.

Denying the claims of insulting Quran, Shibu Prasad Dutta, the general secretary of Cumilla Mahanagar Puja Udjapon Committee, informed that someone placed a copy of the Quran at a Durga Puja pavilion in Nanua Dighir Par when the guard was asleep.

It was confirmed by a district official that the miscreants took some pictures of this and ran away. He hinted at the role of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islam .

During the episode Temples in Chandpur’s Hajiganj, Chattogram’s Banshkhali, Chapainawabganj’s Shibganj and Cox’s Bazar’s Pekua were attacked with the Hindu devotees being thrashed.

Advocate Dr. Gobinda Chandra Pramanik, Secretary-General of Bangladesh Jatio Hindu Mohajote Tweeted, “The situation is terrible!! Attacks on 150 families in Shilpara, Cox’s Bazar, widespread vandalism, looting, vandalism of Hatiya in Noakhali, vandalism of idols in municipal Kalimandir, attack Vandalism, molestation of women, 2 people have been found dead in Chandpur.”

In another tweet, he further stated “The puja mandapa is guarded. Manik Saha, publicity secretary of Chandpur district branch of Bangladesh National Hindu Youth Grand Alliance was killed.”

Videos and images of brutal vandalism were shared by many users on various social media platforms, showcasing the amount of damage caused by hooligans.