Buddhist monk arrested over alleged rape of teen in Sri Lanka

The Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thero holds one of the most revered positions in the Buddhist world. Pallegama Hemarathana Thero: Buddhist monk arrested for alleged rape of teen in Sri Lanka Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Buddhist monk arrested over alleged rape of teen in Sri Lanka One of Sri Lanka's highest-ranking Buddhist monks has been arrested and sent to remand prison over the alleged rape and sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl. The Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thero holds one of the most revered positions in the Buddhist world - the chief prelate or custodian of eight sacred sites in Sri Lanka. He was arrested following a submission from the country's child protection authority, which had previously criticised police for not arresting him despite being named as a suspect in the case. Pallegama Hemarathana has not publicly commented on the charges. He will appear in court on 12 May. The alleged victim's mother was also arrested and remanded to custody after being charged with aiding and abetting the abuse. Pallegama Hemarathana was receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo when he was arrested on Saturday. The magistrate determined that he should be transferred to the Colombo prison hospital. He also issued an order to immigration authorities to ensure that Pallegama Hemarathana did not try to flee the country. It is unusual to see Buddhist monks - much less such a high-ranking figure - arrested in Sri Lanka, where they are both politically powerful and venerated by society. Bhavitha Mandava’s Met Gala debut has brought a new wave of attention to her - and to her understated aesthetic. Japan's PM is pushing to revise country's pacifist constitution - and it's causing controversy. Wu Yize, 22, was met with screaming fans at his first public appearance since his world title win - with the BBC's Stephen McDonell amongst the crowd. Officials say each monk was found with around 5kg of Kush - a particularly potent form of the drug - hidden within "false walls" in their luggage. Officials are not clear how the money, set to form part of a bilateral debt repayment to Australia, was stolen. It is hoped the work will benefit "cities around the world, including here in the Humber". The survivors of the US attack on Iranian vessel Iris Dena, which claimed the lives of 104 people, were among those sent home. The Iran war could not have come at a worse time for Sri Lanka, reeling from devastating floods and an economic crisis.