Nineteen people were rescued from a Chinese cult, while its leader and four other followers were arrested in late August, central Taiwan, after a young Taiwanese was allegedly tortured to death by cult members in China.

The religious cult, China Baiyang Sigui Lingbao Holy Path (中華白陽四貴靈寶聖道會), was founded in China by a 61-year-old woman claiming to be a living Buddha. Surnamed Lin (林), she was busted in a remote mountainous area of Nantou by Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers, Taichung and Nantou police.

The raid was the culmination of several months of investigation begun by the CIB earlier this year. This followed the suspicious death of a young female member of the cult, after visiting the group’s compound in China.

In March, the 20-year-old Taiwanese woman told her family she would be traveling to Nanning, Guangxi Province, to study religious teachings. She died in mysterious circumstances and her parents suspected she had been tortured to death by cult members.

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Lin promised to "purify the soul" in order to entice new members. She also encouraged converts to introduce family members, and the cult reportedly grew to 100 members, aged from two to 80 years old, reported Liberty Times.

It was allegedly very difficult to leave the cult and individual thought was repressed. Those who attempted to leave would be held in captivity and beaten.

Members would monitor and report on each other. Whenever a member failed to follow cult rules, especially expressing a wish to leave, leaders would violently beat them.

Other violations that were punished included "ignoring the gods" and "swearing in the name of the sage," reported UDN. In addition to beatings, punishments meted out included not being allowed to bathe or eat, and binding the hands and feet.

According to the police, dozens of cult members were beaten and injured under Lin's watch. A two-year-old girl was thrown around and beaten by followers with quilts and cushions; while injuries to adult members included severe bruising on the back, thighs and buttocks, according to UDN.