Sri Lankan authorities arrested a senior Buddhist monk on Saturday for the alleged sexual abuse of an 11-year-old girl. Police said the 71-year-old was taken into custody at a private hospital in Colombo. The victim's mother was also detained on charges of aiding and abetting.
The arrest involves Pallegama Hemarathana, chief priest at a highly venerated temple in Anuradhapura, about 125 miles north of the capital. Authorities allege the abuse took place there in 2022. The ancient city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Hemarathana serves as custodian of a tree grown from a Bodhi sapling linked to the Buddha's enlightenment more than 2,500 years ago. He also oversees eight temples on a major Buddhist pilgrimage route.
