Gaya: A Buddhist monk of Russian-origin was arrested by Bihar police after he was caught with 10 ml of liquor which he was carrying for a ‘Tantrik Sadhana’ (a form of meditation), during which he was planning to consume it in the temple itself, on Friday.
The Buddhist monk, identified as Idipsi Ayas, was caught carrying the contraband in a 100 ml bottle and it was recovered from his possession during the security check. The security personnel handed him over to the Bodh Gaya police along with the ‘liquor’.
A case has been registered against the monk by Gaya Police who produced him before a court. He was later remanded to Judicial Custody here since the consumption of liquor is prohibited in the entire state of Bihar.
Bodh Gaya Police station in-charge Rupesh Kumar Sinha said, "a Russian Buddhist monk was arrested with 10 ml of alcohol despite the liquor ban in the district. He was caught by the security personnel while entering Mahabodhi Temple.”
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It is pertinent to note more than 1.71 lakh people have been arrested for violating liquor law in the state in 2022, where the liquor ban is in vogue since April, 2016. According to statistics from the state police headquarters, the number of persons arrested in 2022 stood at 1,71,749.
It was a cent percent increase from the arrest of 82,903 persons in 2021. A total of 96,157 FIRs were registered in connection with prohibition. According to the report, more than 33 lakh litres of alcohol were seized last year.
