Even as protests erupted against the behaviour of Subash Patri, founder of Pyramid Spiritual Societies, who was shown by TV channels touching women ‘indecently’, an advocate on Wednesday filed a petition in the AP State Human Rights Commission demanding a thorough enquiry into the allegations.
Based on the petition, the SHRC directed the Superintendent of Police and Collector of Mahbubnagar district to submit a report by February 18. It was alleged that Patri had misbehaved with women and touched them in indecent ways in public during the World Pyramid Spiritual seminar held at Kadtal village in Mahbubnagar district from Dec 21 to 31.
Y Somaraju, High court advocate and resident of Adikmet, filed petition against Patri. “There was no resistance from women to whatever he did because he looked like a holy man, dressed in white and sporting a long beard,” he said. Somaraju, who hails from West Godavari district, said he attended a seminar conducted by Patri three years ago. “I was there for 15 minutes. He behaved in the same way then too,” he added.
In his complaint, Somaraju explained that Patri, at the seminar held at his Pyramid Gyan Kendram, “hugged, kissed and touched women devotees in their private parts” in full public view.
The advocate claimed he watched the incidents on a Telugu channel and decided to file a complaint before the SHRC. “Patri also set up a small room-like structure outside the pyramid at Kadtal, into which only his close associates are allowed entry,” Somaraju said. Patri went from stall to stall at the seminar venue and asked women devotees to press his feet, he added.
He also claimed the land on which the pyramid was set up belonged to the government. “There should be a proper enquiry by the police into this matter,” Somaraju said.
Earlier, residents staged a protest at Kadtal demanding stringent action against Patri. It is learnt that when the protest was on, a handful of persons from Patri’s society allegedly attacked them and even destroyed the OB van and equipment of a TV channel.