Two booked for desecration of Bhagwan Nityananda's idol

Two trustees were booked on Sunday in connection with the desecration of the idol of Swami Bhagwan Nityananda at Ganeshpuri in Thane district of Maharashtra, police said.

The accused are identified as Ramchandra Shenoy, the chairman of Shree Bhimeshwar Sadguru Nityanand Sanstha, and a trustee Shripad Joshi, a police official said.

The alleged incident occurred on the intervening night of January 20 and 21.

The duo have been booked under section 295 (Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

In her complaint, one of the trustees stated that the idol was smeared with paint, "which wouldn't have been possible without climbing on the samadhi, which also amounts to its desecration".

No arrest is made so far.

Bhagwan Nityananda's samadhi is located in Ganeshpuri at the Samadhi Mandir. There is also a shrine dedicated to him in the Gurudev Siddha Peeth ashram at Ganeshpuri.

Nityananda's ashram, a tourist hostel, and other buildings associated with his life in Ganeshpuri are preserved by the Shree Bhimeshwar Sadguru Nityanand Sanstha.