Bangladeshi in monk's disguise arrested in Bodh Gaya
GAYA, May 17 -- A Bangladeshi citizen living in a Buddhist monk's disguise at a monastery in Bihar's Bodh Gaya was arrested late Thursday, police said on Friday.
A police official said, Pawan Kanti Barua, 62, was arrested from Bodh Gaya's Sleeping Buddha Temple based on an intelligence input. He was masquerading as a monk, Propul Chakma, from Chowkham in Arunachal Pradesh's Lohit district. He had illegally entered India last month and procured a fake Aadhar card showing him as an Arunachal Pradesh native, he added.
People aware of the matter said Barua initially argued with the police, insisting he was an Indian national, and showed the fake Aadhaar card, which was seized. They added that he later accepted being a Bangladeshi national during interrogation. Barua had been living in Bodh Gaya for 15 days after illegally entering India without travel documents. He also participated in Buddha Jayanti functions this week, police said.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims and tourists annually visit the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, where Buddha is believed to have gained enlightenment over 2,500 years ago.
Gaya SP Ramanand Kumar Kaushal said Barua was booked under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
In-charge of the Sleeping Buddha Temple, Bhikshu Aryapal was also on the run after a case for murderous attack, assault, abuse and trying to disturb social harmony, was registered against him this week. Bhikshu Aryapal, was part of an agitation that shouted slogans, created ruckus, attacked the shopkeepers and locals and tried to disturb social harmony with hate comments against a particular religion, as per a case registered by injured shopkeeper Anuj Kumar Gupta, police said....
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