Puri, Jan 10: Servitors of Jagannath Temple in Puri on Saturday staged a protest in front of the Singhadwar of the 12th-century shrine, condemning incidents of alleged atrocities and killings of Hindus in neighbouring Bangladesh.

The protest was organised by the Shree Mandir Sebayat Sangha, whose members said reports of violence against Hindus across the border were “unacceptable” and demanded immediate intervention by the Indian government.

Addressing the gathering, servitors urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take decisive diplomatic steps to ensure the safety and security of Hindus not only in Bangladesh but also in other countries where minorities are facing hostile conditions. They said such incidents deeply hurt religious sentiments and violated basic human rights.

“The perpetrators of such atrocities will never be forgiven by Mahaprabhu,” a servitor said during the protest, referring to Lord Jagannath.

The demonstration comes amid growing concern over a spate of violent incidents targeting Hindus in Bangladesh. According to recent reports, at least 11 Bangladeshi Hindus have been killed over the past 35 days in incidents ranging from mob attacks to targeted assaults.

India has formally raised the issue with Dhaka. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday said New Delhi was “deeply concerned” over what it described as a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities and their homes and businesses.

“These communal incidents must be dealt with swiftly and firmly,” Jaiswal said, cautioning against attempts to dismiss such attacks as personal or political disputes, which he said only embolden perpetrators and heighten fear among minorities.

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Hindus constitute around 7% of Bangladesh’s population. Several violent incidents have been reported in recent weeks under the interim administration led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, including fatal attacks in Narsingdi, Jashore and Jhenaidah districts.