Nine people have been arrested after ransacking the headquarters of one of India's most famous Hindu holy men, Paramhamsa Nityananda, after a local television played a video that appeared toshow him in bed with two women.
Nityananda seems to have gone into hiding before the villagers attacked his compound, some 19 miles from the southern city of Bangalore. 100 police officers are now reported to be protecting the ashram, which houses a variety of Nityananda's followers.
A Hindu holy man, Swami Nityananda is reported to have over 2 million followers and has over 11 ashrams in India and 26 in different countries around the world.
The video tape of the swami, though relatively tame by Western standards, has greatly angered both his followers and critics. One villager told the BBC, "He is a high-flying Swamiji doing fraud on innocent people, he should not be spared."
The Nithyananda Mission ashram released a statement calling the video "a mix of conspiracy, graphics and rumours".
A Hindu holy man in India has denied any wrongdoing, days after video emerged apparently showing him engaging in sexual acts
with two women.
A spokesman for Nithyananda Swami said he was at the Kumbh Mela festival and would soon "clear the air".
In a video released on Sunday, the guru said he had done nothing illegal and
the scandal was "a false campaign".
His ashram near the southern city of Bangalore was vandalised last week after TV channels broadcast
the video..
'Nothing illegal'
In a message on his official website on Sunday, the guru asked his followers
to remain calm and patient.
"I assure all of you that nothing illegal has been done by me or my organisation. We are in the process of
collecting evidence to establish this lie and the motive behind this
false campaign," he said.
Swamiji, as he is known to his followers, said he would soon provide an explanation and answer all
their queries.
"There is total transparency at the ashram and all allegations of illegal activity are baseless and motivated," ashram
spokesman Satichandananda told a press conference on Monday.
Meanwhile, cases have been filed against the holy man in the southern city of
Madras (Chennai) for "outraging the people's religious sentiments".
The guru's followers allege the video was created and distributed by a
jealous inmate of the ashram in a bid to defame him.
Last week the ashram called the footage "a mix of conspiracy, graphics and
rumours".
Nithyananda Swami has a huge following in southern India and the video shocked his devotees and angered locals.
WATCH: This appears to be the original broadcast, but can't say for certain (CONTAINS MILDLY EXPLICIT CONTENT)
