The case of Ramen Roy, a Dhaka-based lawyer, has become a striking example of Indian media’s readiness to misreport and fuel narratives of religious persecution in neighboring Bangladesh.

Prominent Indian outlets, including The Hindu, Hindustan Times, Times of India, and NDTV, carried stories claiming Roy had been attacked for representing Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a controversial religious figure.

The reports framed the incident as emblematic of the persecution faced by minorities in Bangladesh, a narrative that swiftly gained traction across social media.

Radha Raman Das, Vice President of ISKCON India, added weight to these allegations, urging prayers for Roy and characterizing the assault as part of a broader pattern of violence against advocates for religious minorities.

His statements suggested a bleak picture of religious intolerance in Bangladesh, fueling outrage and concern among international audiences.

However, these claims have been decisively challenged by sources within Bangladesh.

Andaleeve Rahman Partho, a former lawmaker and chairman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party, dismissed the reports as unfounded.

Speaking to Indian broadcaster NewsX, Partho emphasized the absence of any corroborating evidence in Bangladeshi media and accused certain Indian outlets of manufacturing the story to exploit Bangladesh’s recent political transition.

According to local sources familiar with the case, the brutal attack on Roy on November 25th had no connection to the legal defense of Chinmoy Krishna.

Instead, they attribute the incident to unrelated personal or professional disputes, underscoring the misleading nature of the Indian media’s portrayal.

What really happened?

Swatantra Gouranga Das, coordinator of the Sanatani Jagaran Jote, has categorically denied any connection between Ramen Roy and the legal team of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari.

Speaking on December 2, Das dismissed Indian media reports as baseless, asserting that no attack tied to Mr. Krishna's case had occurred in Chattogram.

Roy’s family has also stepped forward to counter the false narratives.

Champa Roy, his sister, confirmed that her brother remains in critical condition following the November 25 attack but emphasized that the incident had no relation to Krishna's legal matters.

She also rejected claims that their home had been targeted in the aftermath.

"My brother is in a coma," Champa Roy stated. "These rumors are politically motivated, designed to stir communal unrest."

The assault on Roy unfolded during a peaceful protest at Shahbagh, organized by followers of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, multiple sources confirmed.

The religious leader had been arrested earlier that day at Dhaka Airport, prompting supporters to gather in solidarity.

As the demonstration continued, a group of unidentified assailants armed with sticks attacked the protesters, leaving several injured. Among them was Roy, who sustained severe injuries and was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Before losing consciousness, Roy recounted the chaotic events to medical staff: "We were peacefully protesting when a group armed with sticks attacked us," he said.

The incident, misreported in sections of the Indian media, underscores the dangers of misinformation in inflaming sensitive regional issues.

Relentless misinformation by “Godi Media”

In the aftermath of political upheaval in Bangladesh, Indian media has unleashed a torrent of misinformation, sparking fears of a coordinated campaign to destabilize the neighboring nation.

Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, several Indian outlets—often labeled "Godi Media" for their alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—have been accused of amplifying falsehoods and sensationalized reports.

Many of these stories have centered on alleged attacks against the Hindu community, portraying a skewed narrative of escalating communal tensions in Bangladesh.

This pattern of misreporting aligns with broader concerns about India’s disinformation machinery.

A recent Al Jazeera investigation exposed a web of fake news outlets and propaganda campaigns, allegedly financed by the Indian government, to spread misleading narratives about neighboring countries.

Analysts suggest that this apparatus is now targeting Bangladesh.

The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a leader within Bangladesh’s International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is a case in point.

Indian media widely misrepresented the incident, framing it as part of a supposed anti-Hindu crackdown.

Adding to the distortion, false reports emerged about the killing of a Muslim lawyer in Chattogram, wrongly attributing the attack to religious tensions involving Hindus.

Despite repeated clarifications from Bangladeshi officials and community leaders, Indian media outlets persisted in stoking discord.

Stories of desecrated Indian flags and fabricated anti-India protests gained traction, prompting inflammatory rhetoric from some Indian politicians, including calls for international intervention.

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