LBA Expels Prez Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations

The Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) on Tuesday sacked its incumbent president Tsewang Thinles after a teenage girl alleged that he sexually assaulted her. A women police station has lodged an FIR against him and booked Thinles under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and investigation has started, an official said.

“The news of FIR lodged in Women Police station, Leh against Tsewang Thinless, President, Ladakh Buddhist Association, Leh in alleged criminal molestation came as an extreme shock to the Buddhist Community of Ladakh,” read a statement issued by General Secretary LBA, Greater Kashmir reported.

A women police station has lodged an FIR against Thinles and booked him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and investigation has started.

“Consequently the Central Working Committee (CWC) of Ladakh Buddhist Association met unanimously condemned the alleged criminal act of the Tsewang Thinles,” it added.

The CWC has now declared senior vice-president PT Kunzang as the acting president of the LBA till the tenure of the present general council is completed in the overall interest of the organisation. It also demanded a free and fair trial of the case through a fast track court.

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On this development, interim president Kunzang said, “Given the sensitivity of the matter, we have sought a free and fair trial in the case through a fast-track court. Truth must prevail in the case.”

The Tribune reported that the girl who complained against Thenlis is a 17-year-old girl, who belonged to a far-off village of Leh district, she filed the complaint against him on Monday at the women’s police station, Leh.

The Tribune reported that the girl who complained against Thenlis is a 17-year-old girl, who belonged to a far-off village of Leh district.

In December 2017, Thinles was re-elected unanimously as the President while Kunzang and Rinchen Namgyal were elected as Vice Presidents. Sonam Dawa and Tsering Angchuk were elected as General and Joint Secretary respectively. “I assure that the team will put every effort and work for the promotion and development of Buddhism, preservation of art, culture, and languages and to maintain communal harmony.

There have been few incidents which created doubt and poses a question on the communal harmony but all those years we have been living in a very cordial relationship which will be further maintained,” Thenlis had said then.

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