On Thursday night, a Bangladeshi who was posing as a Buddhist monk was arrested from Bodh Gaya’s monastery after it was discovered that he had entered the country illegally using a fake Aadhaar card. Senior officers from the police reported that the arrest was the result of an intelligence report.
Officials discovered that a suspect named Pawan Kanti Barua had settled as a monk in Assam and gone by the name “Propul Chakma” from Chowkham. The Buddha had sheltered at Bodh Gaya’s Sleeping Buddha Temple, considered one of the most sacred locations for Buddhists everywhere.
Cops found out that initially, Barua presented a fake Aadhaar card to make police believe he was an Indian. When confronted with questions, he stated that he was a Bangladeshi citizen who had illegally entered the country. He spent the previous two weeks in Bodh Gaya and even joined the Buddha Jayanti festivities with the monks and other worshipers.
Authorities are currently finding out how he obtained the fake documents and if he got any support from people within India. Security officials were concerned since such a high-profile religious figure was present at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, where many people go to pay respect each year.
He said that Barua was booked for violating the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. Investigations are continuing to discover if he was acting alone or with illegal connections. Monasteries and major temples in the area have increased security after the recent incident.
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