Deepening mystery of missing 'Buddha boy'

By Thomas Bell in Kathmandu
(Filed: 21/03/2006)
source: website link

The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Nepal's 15-year-old "Buddha Boy" has deepened, after he briefly appeared to supporters then vanished again.

Footage apparently shot on Sunday shows Ram Bomjon, the would-be Buddha, meeting members of the committee that manages his hugely popular, and profitable, pilgrimage site.

Ram is shown with unkempt hair but looking healthy.

Committee president Bed Bahadur Lama said Ram left his meditation place 10 days ago because of the noise made by pilgrims.

The circumstances in which seven committee members shot the video two miles from where he meditated were not clear.

The organising committee is the principal source for many of the claims. During Ram's 10-month vigil no visitor has seen him eat or drink, but the attraction was closed to non-committee members at night.

The committee has prevented a medical team from conducting an examination of the teenager.

Santaraj Subedi, the chief official in the district, said yesterday that the bank account that he had insisted the committee open had been frozen after Ram's disappearance. It contained more than £500,000.

Mr Subedi is urgently trying to track down Ram.

13 March 2006: Nepal's pilgrims pray for return of 'Buddha boy'

3 December 2005: They can't believe it's Buddha

21 November 2005: Pilgrims flock to see 'Buddha boy' said to have fasted six months