GAYA, May 15 -- Gaya police on Wednesday arrested Buddhist monk Bhante Vinacharya for allegedly assaulting shopkeepers and locals, creating a ruckus at the Mahabodhi Temple, and being involved in activities deemed harmful to the reputation of the revered Buddhist shrine in Bodh Gaya, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Gaya district magistrate (DM) Thiyagarajan S.M. said that individuals involved in the disturbances were being identified through CCTV footage and video recordings, and strict action would be taken against them. Since February 12, a group of monks and Buddhist practitioners - mostly from various districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh-have been staging a protest under the banner of Mukti Andolan inside and around the Mahabodhi Temple premises. They are demanding amendments to the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) Act, 1949, particularly the removal of a clause mandating Hindu members in the committee. The Gaya DM serves as the ex-officio chairman of the BTMC, which manages the temple's affairs. Despite several rounds of dialogue, including a negotiation on May 10 where the protesters had agreed to withdraw, the agitation continued. The administration had facilitated their meetings with senior officials from the home department, the Chief Minister's Secretariat, and the Governor's office. However, according to the DM, the movement was hijacked by some external elements involved in unlawful activities. On Tuesday evening, the situation escalated when Bhante Vinacharya and his supporters entered the temple premises, shouted slogans, disrupted proceedings, and allegedly assaulted shopkeepers and locals who tried to resist their actions. A scuffle with security personnel also ensued, police said. Senior administrative and police officers rushed to the scene and successfully vacated the temple premises, preventing the situation from spiraling into a major clash with locals. In response, local residents held a peace march on Wednesday morning, carrying roses and closing their shops in protest. They demanded an end to the ongoing agitation and called for strict action against those responsible for the violence to uphold the sanctity of the site where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Based on a complaint filed by injured shopkeeper Anuj Kumar Gupta, police registered a case against five named individuals and 15-20 unidentified persons on charges including assault and rioting. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anand Kumar said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been formed to probe the incident. Bhante Vinacharya, who already faces two criminal cases for offences including criminal breach of trust and cheating, was arrested. Others involved will be identified and apprehended soon, the SSP added....