Swami Nithyananda. PTI file photo

CHENNAI: Swami Nithyananda is back in the news againthis time also for wrong reasons. Tension prevailed at Zamin Pallavaram last week as an angry crowd ransacked an ashram of the controversial godman. They accused him of encroaching the streets used by locals to build the ashram at Pachaiamman Nagar near Tirusulam and a few of his followers of passing lewd comments on local women.

What triggered the attack on the ashram was the comments allegedly made by a Nithyananda follower against a woman when she was passing by the ashram last week. The local residents ransacked the premises and even toppled a car belonging to the ashram. Based on the complaint by both sides, police arrested a Nithyananda follower, and nine others on charges of damaging the ashram property.

Police said the crux of the dispute was over a piece of land measuring around 2.15 acres, donated by Valli, a devoteeof Nithyananda, to set upthe ashram.However, the particular land is said to be disputed since another person also claimed ownership of it.

Despite the dispute, the ashrams followers allegedly fenced the land and portionsof the street passing nearit causing hardship tolocal residents.The police questioned three of Nithyanandas followers and 15 local residents.

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Nithyananda's ashram attacked for encroachment, lewd remarks - The New Indian Express