Bangladesh police on Tuesday arrested a man who allegedly threatened the multi-talented Shakib Al Hasan with death for inaugurating a Kali puja pandal in Kolkata, even as the cricketer apologized and said he only joined the function briefly.
A joint team of the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) against crime and the police arrested Mohsin Talukdar, 28, from the southeastern Sunamganj district, after 24 hours of a massive manhunt.
“It is now in our custody awaiting further legal proceedings,” a police officer familiar with the development told PTI.
After the image of the cricketer on Calcutta’s “Amra Sobai Club” show went viral, Talukdar went live on Facebook Sunday night with a large machete in hand and threatened to kill Shakib, saying it hurt their religious feelings by opening the Puja event in the capital of West Bengal.
Earlier in the morning, Talkudar, however, withdrew the threat and apologized in another live video on social media and then went into hiding. Later it was located in the neighboring district of Sunamganj. His wife was previously detained for questioning.
The 33-year-old cricketer in a Facebook post denied opening the pandal bidding. He said that it was inaugurated by the mayor of Kolkata, Firhad Hakim.
“The media, social networks everywhere were flooded that I went to Kolkata to open a puja ceremony which was not actually the reason behind my visit and I did not inaugurate puja.
“The bid was opened by Firhad Hakim, Mayor of Kolkata. On my invitation card it was clearly mentioned that I was not the main bidder, ”he said in the post on Monday.
Shakib said that since playing for Kolkata Knight Riders for a few years, “the people there know me and love me and the stage, where my show took place, was next to pandal puja, but no religious issues were discussed.” “As I was getting back to the car, I had to go through the pandal because all other exits were blocked. There I stopped for a few seconds and as requested by the crowd and the organizers, I lit a candle that now I feel I have done wrong, “he said.
The cricket star, however, also apologized saying that he is a “practicing Muslim and always tried to follow religious customs (and) please forgive me if I have done something wrong.”
Shakib went to Kolkata last Thursday for business reasons and was later photographed at a Kali Puja festival in the Kakurgachi area of Kolkata.
According to media reports, Trinamool Congress MLA Paresh Paul, who was the main organizer of the Kali Puja stage in Calcutta, said that Shakib did not inaugurate any pandal puja at all and that he simply got on stage, addressed the audience and lit candles. .
Kolkata’s “Amra Sobai Club” has hosted Kali Puja for the past seven years.
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