CA Press Wing debunks PTI report on Hindu man killing in Natore

Chief Adviser's Press Wing has termed a news item of Indian news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) over the killing of a Hindu man at a crematorium in Natore "misleading and exaggerated." 
 
"After a man was killed in a possible theft at a crematorium in Natore, Indian news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) described the incident as communal violence without proper verification," CA press wing said in a statement posted on its verified Facebook page today (22 December). 

Yesterday, PTI published the news quoting a video published on the X (formerly Twitter) handle of Kolkata Iskcon spokesperson Radharaman Das. No Bangladeshi authorities, Hindu leaders, or relatives of the victims were quoted in this news.

Many Indian media, including Hindustan Times and The Indian Express, published the PTI item.

Hrishikesh Gauranga Das, a member of the executive committee of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) Bangladesh, said, "It is not responsible to pass off an incident as a communal murder without verifying it. Such exaggerated news can damage communal harmony in Bangladesh."

Confirming that Tarun Kumar was not a member of Iskcon, he urged the media to collect information at the local level or through official channels before publishing any such news.

Police recovered the body of a man named Tarun Kumar Das, 60, from the Bara Harishpur cremation ground under Sadar Police Station in Natore district on Saturday.

Initially, it is suspected that the killer strangled the victim to death as he screamed when unidentified thieves were carrying out the burglary at the Bhogghar inside the cremation ground.

Police said some bronze plates were stolen from the crematorium.

According to a local Hindu community leader, the victim was mentally ill for a long time and had been staying at the crematorium for several days, the statement read.

Natore Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Mahbubor Rahman said, "Based on the information we received from Saturday to Sunday morning, it is initially believed that some drug addicts tried to steal the bronze plates. All possible motives for the murder are being investigated."

Satya Narayan Roy Tipu, general secretary of the cremation committee in Natore, said, "Tarun Kumar is not a member of the cremation committee, and he was not a priest."

"Tarun Kumar was not a member of Iskcon or any other organisation. We do not think there is any communal involvement in this incident."