Bodh Gaya, Aug 30(Zee News): A Buddhist monk was taken into custody on Wednesday at Bodh Gaya in Bihar for alleged sexual abuse of 15 children from Assam who were studying at a school-meditation centre run by him, police said.

The monk ran an institution called "Prasanna Jyoti Buddhist School and Meditation Centre" at Mastipur village in Bodh Gaya where the children - hailing from Karbi Anglong district in Assam - were studying. The police had received information that the boys were being sexually exploited by the monk.

Superintendent of Police (City), Gaya, Anil Kumar said the monk was being interrogated by Town Deputy SP Rajkumar Shah.

"The children are being questioned by the SHO of Mahila Thana. They will be produced before a magistrate on Thursday and their statements recorded under the relevant CrPC section. They will also be taken for medical tests based on the results of which a case may be lodged against the monk."

"The children had complained about the monk to their respective guardians. Also, they informed us that they were thrashed, mistreated and sexually abused while staying in the school. We are investigating the matter now and will take relevant action," added Shah.

This comes at a time when the Bihar government is being strongly criticised by the Opposition for the over the growing number of sexual abuse cases in the state.

Earlier this year, Mumbai`s leading research institute -Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)- stated in a report that the girls are falling prey to sexual abuse at a shelter home in Muzaffarpur. The police had rescued 44 girls living in the vicinity and had arrested 11 employees working at the shelter home on July 24. The medical reports of twenty-nine girls indicated that sexual contact was established with them.