A mob of infuriated men attacked the sprawling 29-acre ashram in Bidadi in Karnataka, smashing the 32-year-old godman's portraits, banners, billboards and the reception office. Police deployed additional forces to protect the devotees, including about 100 foreigners staying within the complex.
"We have deployed two platoons of the state reserve police numbering about 100 men to guard the Nithyananda Mission and protect the devotees, as the people from the town wanted to lay a siege," said Ramanagara district police superintendent S.B. Bhisanhalli. Bidadi is about 30 km from Bangalore.
The sensational video footage showed the godman, who originally hails from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, fondling and kissing the women and in a compromising position with them in turns.
While the video clipping shows that the man in action is Nithyananda, one of the women is allegedly a Tamil actress Ranjitha, who has played leading role in many films and TV serials.
In Tamil Nadu, members of outfits like Periyar Dravida Kazhagham, VCK and Hindu Makkal Katchi held protests in different places and demanded Nithyananda's arrest.
Nithyananda's banners were burnt and many centres of his shram Nitananda Dhyanapeetam in the state and in Pudducherry were ransacked and damaged by protesters.
While the whereabouts of Nithyananda is not known, a message posted on the ashram's website terms the video footage aired by the news channel as a mix of conspiracy, graphics and rumour and added that legal course of action is being worked out.
The Nithyananda Mission is part of a worldwide movement for meditation and peace. It claims to have about 1,000 branches across 33 countries and about two million followers the world over.
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