A Buddhist monk has set himself on fire to protest the slaughter of a cattle in Sri Lanka.

According to Mail Online, the incident took place on Friday and happened near the Temple of Buddha's Tooth Relic, in the town of Kandy. A police spokesperson claimed the temple holds particular religious significance for Buddhists.

The monk suffered severe burn injuries and was rushed to the Colombo National Hospital, where he is under treatment. Buddhism, the state religion of Sri Lanka, preaches against the killing of any life form.