Eight innocent Sadhus (devotees) of Sreedham Sree Angan, a monastery like temple of Jagat Bandhu Sundar located in Goalchamat area of this district town could not escape the wrath of marauding occupation forces on this day(April 21) in 1971.
The Sadhus, who had no worldly attraction or any political affiliations whatsoever had to die by the bullets of the Pakistani army at a time.
On the fateful afternoon of April 21, 1971 a group of Hindu Sadhus, followers of one Lord (Prabhu) Jagat Bandhu, a 19th century religious reformer, while reciting hymns of `Joy..Jagatbandhu' were killed by the Pak army.
The occupation forces were making their first entry in the district town after crossing the Padma river through Goalondo ghat. The fanatic army entered the big temple located in Goalchamat area by the side of the main thoroughfare dragged out the devotees engaged in deep meditation, were forcibly made to stand up in line under a tree and sprayed bullets on them.
At that time 14 Sadhus were in the temple but six Sadhus managed to escape and took shelter at a nearby hideout after seeing the brutal killings of their associates.
Later, the army personnal badly damaged the picturesque and attractive temple by spraying bullets and setting fire.
The eight Sadhus, killed at Sree Angan by the occupation forces were, Kirtonbrata Brahamachary, Nidan Bandhu, Andha Kanai, Bandhu Das, Khiti Bandhu, Gour Bandhu, Chira Bandhu, and Rabi Bandhu. The chief priest Amar Bandhu and Haripriya Brahamachary managed to escape the death only to observe painful killings of his fellow Sadhus. The brutal killings on very first day of occupation of the
district town by the oppressive force had created panic and adverse impact on the people residing in the district town.
The tragic killings of these Sadhus convinced the locals particularly the Hindus that the barbaric army would not spare anybody.
However the temple was rebuilt gradually after the liberation.