11-1-2024 (KATHMANDU) Ram Bahadur Bomjon, a Nepali man previously hailed as a potential reincarnation of the Buddha and internationally recognized as the “Buddha boy,” has been apprehended by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) on charges of rape and sexual abuse, according to police reports on Wednesday.
The arrest took place on Tuesday at a residence on the outskirts of Kathmandu, where the 33-year-old Bomjon had been attempting to evade authorities. The CIB stated, “Our team arrested him while he was trying to escape by jumping from the window of the house.”
Bomjon gained fame as a teenager in 2005 when followers claimed he could meditate without water, food, or sleep for extended periods. This led to over 100,000 people flocking to the dense forests of southeastern Nepal to witness him meditating beneath a tree.
As of now, Bomjon has not provided any comment from police custody, and it remains uncertain whether he has legal representation.
CIB spokesperson Nawaraj Adhikari indicated that Bomjon would be brought before the Sarlahi district court, which had issued an arrest warrant.
Allegations of abuse and misconduct against Bomjon have been documented for over a decade. In 2010, numerous assault complaints were lodged against him, with Bomjon justifying his actions by claiming the victims disrupted his meditation.
In 2018, an 18-year-old nun accused the spiritual leader of raping her at a monastery, leading to further investigations. The subsequent year, police initiated another inquiry after four devotees went missing from one of his ashrams; however, their current whereabouts remain unknown.
Dinesh Acharya from the Central Investigation Bureau stated on Wednesday, “Unless we know what situation the missing are in, we are not in a position to call it murder.”
