By IANS
Patna : A Bhutanese monk immolated himself in front of the Bodh Gaya temple in Bihar, police said Friday.
James Lamo, a Bhutanese monk in his mid-70s, set himself on fire Thursday night in front of Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya, about 110 km from here. The incident has sent shockwaves in Bodh Gaya, where Buddha attained enlightenment 2,550 years ago.
“The monk was in a meditation posture when he set himself on fire. He had been staying on the temple premises for some days,” deputy superintendent of police Rajvansh Singh said.
Police said the monk’s body was found with over 90 percent burns. It had been sent for post-mortem examination to Anugrah Narayan Medical College and Hospital in Gaya town. A cotton bag containing some clothes and other materials has been found. Police are in the dark about the reason behind the self-immolation. “We have started an investigation,” Singh said.