The man accused of beating a novice monk at Bau Pagoda. Photo: Screenshot from video
On Tuesday evening, Phu Tho provincial police said the provincial police investigation agency had initiated a criminal case and charged Nguyen The Duy in connection with the assault at Bau Pagoda, ordering his pretrial detention on suspicion of intentionally causing injury.
According to police, at around 7:30 am on Monday, police in Vinh Phuc Ward received a report from a member of the public that five novice monks at Bau Pagoda appeared to have been assaulted and injured.
After receiving the report, Vinh Phuc Ward police promptly began verifying the information and reported their findings to provincial police leaders.
Phu Tho provincial police leadership directed relevant units to work with Vinh Phuc Ward police to investigate the case and take strict action in accordance with the law, while arranging medical examinations to assess the children's injuries.
Police identified Nguyen The Duy, who is currently staying at Bau Pagoda as a Buddhist practitioner, as the person who assaulted and injured the five novice monks.
Nguyen The Duy confessed to the offense, police said.
Injuries on the hand of a novice monk who was allegedly assaulted at Bau Pagoda. Photo: T. Thanh
Police probe person who filmed the assault without intervening
Phu Tho provincial police said relevant units were continuing to investigate the extent of the responsibility of the person who filmed the incident but did not intervene to stop Nguyen The Duy or take timely measures to protect the children.
As Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper reported, a video circulated on social media on Tuesday morning showing a man in brown clothing repeatedly striking a young boy with a stick.
The blows caused the child to cry and plead, "It hurts so much, please..."
The man continued to pull the boy by the hair, push his head down, and strike him several more times, with several other children sitting huddled on the floor nearby, watching the assault.
The more-than-40-second video sparked outrage online, with many calling on authorities to investigate and take action against the man, while ensuring the children's safety.
A representative of Bau Pagoda said the incident occurred at around 7:00 am on Monday, when the pagoda's monks were away.
The man in the video was not a monk or bhikkhu, but a Buddhist layperson who had come to the pagoda to practice Buddhism about three months earlier.
The pagoda reported the incident to police shortly afterward.
Police from Vinh Phuc Ward and Phu Tho province arrived and detained the man that morning.
The five novice monks were also taken for medical examinations.
"The pagoda deeply regrets and is ashamed that such an incident occurred due to inadequate management. We cannot condone such behavior, so we asked police to handle the case strictly in accordance with the law," a representative of the pagoda said.
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