Asaram Bapu supporters want FIR quashed, attack media person

Supporters of Asaram Bapu Friday protested outside a police station here, where a girl had lodged a complaint alleging sexual assault by the spiritual leader, and demanded quashing of the FIR and assaulted a media person.

Around 500 supporters gathered outside the Kamla Market police station in central Delhi and demanded quashing of the FIR.

The supporters gathered at the police station around 10 a.m. and raised slogans against the police and media, accusing them of trying to dent the image of the spiritual leader.

Later, they marched towards Jantar Mantar.

Asaram Bapu's supporters attacked the media person of a Hindi news channel and a complaint has been filed against them.

"The unit member of the Hindi news channel was attacked near the Parliament Street police station and three of the supporters have been detained," said police.

According to the complaint, the sexual assault took place Aug 15 at an ashram in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, where the girl had gone for medical treatment.

The girl, a native of Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur district, visited Asaram Bapu along with her family. Police said Asaram Bapu took the girl to a separate room on the pretext of treating her illness and sexually assaulted her.

A spokesman for the spiritual leader, who enjoys a wide following across the country and abroad, said the girl's complaint was an attempt to malign Asaram Bapu.