An atheist, American blogger who was vocal against religious intolerance and extremism has been beaten to death in Bangladesh.
Together with his wife, Avijit Roy were from a Dhaka University book fair on Thursday evening when both were attacked. Witnesses have told local media that their bicycle was stopped by two men who immediately dragged them to a pavement. Police chief Sirajul Islam explained that the couple were ambushed while heading towards a roadside stall.
Onlookers have said that two men holding machetes began to beat the couple until both lay on the ground. The attackers, then, ran away and disappeared into the crowd.
Roy is a citizen of the United States, Bangladesh-born and is popular as a critic of ideological hatred in his country of origin.
Rafida Ahmed, the wife, and were attacked as they were on their way home from a book fair held at the Dhaka University, in the capital city of Bangladesh, the Washington Post reported.
While several witnesses have shared that the weapons used were machetes, some have claimed that it was cleavers.
The American blogger, who is in his 40s, died during an emergency surgery at the hospital of Dhaka Medical College while his wife lost a finger and is being treated for severe injuries.
Policemen have found Ahmed's severed finger, two machetes, and a bag that is thought to be owned by the attackers at the site of the incident, the BD News 24 said.
Hundreds of activists and students gathered in Dhaka on Friday to grieve Roy's death and express protest against the murder and intimidation of secular writers.