Sri Lankan authorities have arrested a senior Buddhist monk on charges of sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl, marking the highest-profile clergy abuse case in the country.
Pallegama Hemarathana, 71, was taken into custody Saturday at a private hospital in Colombo, where he was receiving treatment. The alleged abuse occurred in 2022 at a revered temple in Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where Hemarathana serves as chief priest.
Police confirmed the victim's mother has also been arrested for allegedly aiding the monk. Hemarathana has not commented publicly and is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday. A foreign travel ban has been imposed.
Hemarathana is the chief custodian of a tree believed to have grown from a sapling of the Bodhi tree in India, under which Buddha attained enlightenment. He also oversees eight highly venerated temples on a key Buddhist pilgrim route.
This arrest comes amid a series of scandals involving Buddhist monks in the region, including a recent drug bust and embezzlement cases.