Dhaka, Bangladesh - Insecurity and panic gripped local Hindu and Christian communities after their places of worship came under attack by suspected militant Muslim youths in northern Bangladesh, media reports said Sunday.
Five people were injured in an attack Saturday on a Hindu temple in the farming town of Peergacha some 380 km north of here, the national daily Bangladesh Observer said.
Police arrested seven people after they were found to be involved in attack during which a portion of the Haribashair temple was damaged.
Several houses near the temple were also set ablaze, the newspaper said quoting witnesses.
A similar attack occurred Saturday on a church in the neighbouring Badarganj town, which has a tribal Christian community.
Police said the attack on the church was the work of local hoodlums who wanted to terrorise the people to extort money. The newspaper said some local Christian families fearing more attacks had taken shelter inside the church.
The authorities set up police camps in both towns as part of beefed up security measures in the area.