The Guduvancheri Police arrested self-styled godman Annadurai on Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a 24-year-old woman and threatening her against complaining about it, Deccan Chronicle reported. Known as Annamalai Siddhar, the 59-year-old spiritual leader ran the Aadisiva Brhamma Sivanadiyargal Ashram in Guduvancheri and has more than 4,500 followers on Facebook, the English daily said.

The police have sealed his ashram. The woman said he sexually assaulted her when she visited him for the second time in January seeking relief from frequent migraines. Siddhar then allegedly warned her against reporting the crime, saying he would use his “power” to paralyse her two-year-old son and send people to kill her husband.

The accused had set up his ashram five years ago. His Facebook page has photos of him with many public personalities including former Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangaswamy, the report said.