The Bihar Police on Thursday took a Buddhist monk into custody after 15 children at a school and meditation centre run by him in Bodh Gaya alleged that he had sexually abused them, PTI reported. Gaya Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar said town Deputy Superintendent of Police SP Rajkumar Shah was interrogating the accused.
The matter came to light after the children contacted their parents, who live in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, and told them about the alleged abuse. In their statements, the children said that Bhante Shanghpriya Sujoy called them to his bedroom where he sexually assaulted them and even beat them up, the Hindustan Times reported. The children are aged between six and 12 years.
Police said they were investigating the non-governmental organisation Prasanna Social Welfare Trust that runs the Prasanna Jyoti Buddhist Novice School and Meditation Centre in Mastipur village in Bodh Gaya. The accused is also from Assam.
The parents of the children have demanded that the accused be held accountable. “The children are being questioned by the women’s police station house officer,” Shah said. “They will be produced before a magistrate tomorrow. They will also be taken for medical tests based on the results of which a case may be lodged against the monk.”
Gaya Senior Superintendent of Police Rajeev Mishra said the children and their parents would be placed under police security.
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