A 40-second video emerged on social media on August 11, showing a child monk at Bau Pagoda being repeatedly struck with a rod by a bald man in brown monastic attire.

In the video, the boy cried and pleaded, saying, "I'm in so much pain, please, I'm bleeding." The man continued hitting him, then grabbed a tuft of his hair and pushed his head down.

Nearby, four other child monks sat huddled on the floor.

Following reports of the incident, the Chairman of the Phu Tho Provincial People's Committee instructed the Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs to lead an investigation. This investigation, coordinating with the Vinh Phuc Ward People's Committee, aims to verify the facts and report findings by August 11.

Bau Pagoda (Phat Quang Tu) is located on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, Vinh Phuc Ward, Phu Tho Province.

A child monk being repeatedly beaten at the pagoda, from a video appearing on social media. *Photo: Screen capture from video*