This Time, Two Foreigners Among Three Victims of Mob Attack, Vehicles Vandalized and Looted

Staff Reporter

This time, foreign nationals have also fallen victim to mob violence. In the Basundhara area of the capital, two foreigners and one other person were brutally assaulted by extremists.

ASI Choton Chandra Das of Bhatara Police Station reported that the two foreigners were taken to Kurmitola General Hospital in critical condition. However, the nationalities and identities of the injured foreigners are still unknown.

Police were unable to speak to them due to their severe physical condition. Additionally, their passports and other valuable documents were looted, making it impossible to confirm their identities.

ASI Choton Chandra Das stated that the incident occurred around 1:30 PM on Tuesday near the Abu Saeed Gate of Basundhara Market.

He said, “Someone called the national emergency service 999 and reported that some foreign nationals were involved in a financial scam with Bangladeshis. They were detained, and the caller requested police intervention. When police arrived, they found thousands of people assaulting them and vandalizing their vehicle.”

ASI Choton added that police rescued the injured and took them to the hospital. He said, “One of the two foreigners is in critical condition.”

When asked about their nationalities, the police officer replied, “The situation was such that we didn’t even get a chance to speak to them.”

However, he mentioned that the foreigners were white and tall. Locals speculated that they might be European or American nationals.

Choton Chandra Das further stated that the incident initially occurred near the Abu Saeed Gate of Basundhara. When the mob began assaulting them, they tried to escape in their car. In a panic, they hit rickshaws and other obstacles in their path. After driving some distance, the mob stopped their car, brutally beat them, and the driver fled.

Police investigations revealed that the car was a rental vehicle. Police suspect the driver was a Bangladeshi, and if found, more details about the incident could be uncovered.

Meanwhile, although the mob claimed the assault was due to allegations of financial fraud, police found no complainant at the scene. However, information circulating on social media suggested that rumors of foreigners using a drug called “Satan’s Breath” to rob people had incited the mob to attack them.

Police stated that it was impossible to identify the complainant among the thousands of people present, as they had dispersed.

Regarding the incident, OC Mazharul Islam of Bhatara Police Station said, “The incident is not yet fully clear. The investigation is ongoing. Once the injured are able to speak, we will know the full story. For now, they are receiving treatment.”

When asked if any foreign embassy had contacted them, the OC replied, “I have no information on that matter.”

Incidentally, experts say that the idea of a drug called “Satan’s Breath,” made from the essence of a flower and used to intoxicate or hallucinate someone, is a myth. No reliable or scientific basis for such a drug has been found.