'Buddha boy' re-emerges after a year

A teenage boy who many believe is the reincarnation of Buddha has re-emerged from the jungle in southern Nepal, attracting thousands of devotees, officials said yesterday.

After retreating into the jungle for more than a year, Ram Bahadur Bamjan, 18, re-emerged on Monday near Nijgadh town, about 160 km south of the capital, Katmandu.

Upon hearing the news, thousands of Bamjan's followers, some from as far away as India, traveled to the site yesterday to see him, police official Abhaya Joshi said.