Kins of missing followers file complaints against Nepal godman 'Buddha Boy', police launch search operation

Nepal Police have launched a search operation for five missing followers of a Buddhist spiritual leader, popularly known as 'Buddha Boy', after their families filed complaints against the godman, officials said here on Monday.

Ram Bahadur Bomjon, who is believed by devotees to be a reincarnation of Buddha, gained global media attention in 2005 after his devotees claimed that he meditated for months without food, water or sleep.

Later, he got embroiled into controversies after several of his followers and their relatives accused him of assaulting them sexually and physically. However, his aides have rejected the accusations.

According to police, following complaints of the kins of five of Bomjon's followers, they have launched a search operation.

The relatives in their complaint claimed that the followers, including women devotees, have gone missing from Bomjon's ashram located at Bara district.

On Sunday, family of a nun from Sarlahi, who has been reportedly missing from the ashram for the past nine years, has asked the police to find her whereabouts.

Earlier, kins of four other followers, including a girl, had filed police complaints stating that they had gone out of contact from the ashram of the controversial spiritual guru.