Ex-inmate of Nithyananda ashram complains against her family

CHENNAI: A 27-year-old woman, who is a former inmate of Swami Nithyananda's ashram, on Tuesday met director general of police Letika Saran and lodged a complaint saying her family members are forcing her to get married against her wishes.
The complainant, Girija alias Sangeetha of Othavadai Street in Thiruvottiyur, said she was staying in Nithyananda's ashram from 2007 after completing her BBA course."My mother Kantha and I visited the ashram during the Guru Poornima festival and I sought the Swamiji to initiate me into brahamchariyam' (celibacy). Later, I went to the ashram and stayed there for few weeks. Accepting my dedication, Swamiji offered me the priesthood and later trained me to be an acharya' (a teacher). Following the reports in the media about Swamiji, my family called me and asked to return home. They threatened to lodge a police complaint against Swamiji if I failed to turn up. So I returned home," she said in her complaint.
"My parents are now planning to get me married. This is against my wish. I want to serve for mankind as a priest. But my parents are forcing me to get married by all means. On Monday, I left home after telling them that I was going to attend an interview. I am scared to return home," she added. Girija submitted the petition in the presence of her lawyer S Gurunathan, who is also a former MLA.