Even as the news of 40 girls being sexually abused in a shelter home in Bihar's Muzaffarpur continues to haunt India, a similar incident has come to light at a school-meditation centre run by a Buddhist monk.

The incident took place in Mastipur village in the international pilgrim town Bodh Gaya. The monk has been taken into custody for allegedly sexually abusing 15 children from Assam, who used to study at the school "Prasanna Jyoti Buddhist School and Meditation Centre".

According to the information received by the police, the children, who are natives of Karbi Anglong district of Assam were also thrashed by the monk.

child rape
The boys were allegedly sexully assaulted and thrashed in the school and meditation centre. (Representational image)Creative Commons.

"The children are being questioned by the SHO of Mahila Thana. They will be produced before a magistrate on Thursday and their statements recorded under the relevant CrPC section. They will also be taken for medical tests based on the results of which a case may be lodged against the monk.

"The children had complained about the monk to their respective guardians. Also, they informed us that they were thrashed, mistreated and sexually abused while staying in the school. We are investigating the matter now and will take relevant action," Zee News quoted Town Deputy SP Rajkumar Shah as saying.

Superintendent of Police (City), Gaya, Anil Kumar said that the case is being investigated and Shah is interrogating the accused monk. If found guilty, the monk will be held under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), section 354A (Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Activists protest against the Muzaffarpur shelter home protest in Delhi
Indian activists hold placards as they take part in a protest over the sexual assault of girls at a state-run home in eastern India city, near Bihar Bhawan in New Delhi on July 30, 2018.SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP/Getty Images

This news comes at a time when the Nitish Kumar government is already being slammed by the opposition parties owing to the sexual assault of 40 girls at the Muzaffarpur shelter home.