Competent authorities in the north-central Vietnamese province of Thanh Hoa are investigating a case where a 10-year-old boy was purportedly beaten by an abbot at the pagoda where he is being raised.

Managers of Ha Hai Elementary School, located in the namesake commune in Ha Trung District, recently submitted a report to authorities regarding the physical abuse against N.C.D., a fifth-grader.

N., a teacher of the school, was the one who discovered countless bruises across D.’s back, chest, and arms.

“The boy would appear in pain when his classmates touched his body,” N. recalled.

After a long conversation, D. eventually stated that the wounds were caused by Thich Dam Trang, master of the Long Yen Pagoda where the young boy is living.

During a working session with authorities, Master Trang admitted to hitting him with a rattan cane as a way to discipline him.

“The boy is very mischievous,” the abbot stated.

Nguyen Van Huy, head of the education office in Ha Trung District, confirmed on Wednesday that the agency is working closely with Ha Hai School to deal with the case.

“We may have to transfer D. to the provincial orphanage village,” Huy added.

The administration in Ha Hai commune has been made aware of the situation and asked local police unit to probe the case.

According to Vu Thi Diep, D.’s homeroom teacher, the boy hails from the northern province of Son La.

His father passed away and his mother suffers a serious illness, Diep elaborated, adding that his grandparents brought him to the Long Yen Pagoda in 2015.

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