A senior Buddhist monk, Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, has been granted bail by court following his arrest earlier this month over the alleged abduction and sexual abuse of a minor girl.

Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, 71, who serves as the chief prelate of the Anuradhapura Atamasthanaya was arrested on 9 May 2026. The arrest took place while he was receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo, following a directive issued by the Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate.

During subsequent inquiries conducted by the Women and Children’s Bureau, the victim, reported to be an 11-year-old girl, disclosed repeated incidents of sexual abuse.

The alleged crimes are said to have taken place in 2022 at a temple premises in Anuradhapura. The victim’s mother was also arrested by authorities for allegedly aiding and abetting the monk in the commission of the offence.