Bengaluru: A well-known city astrologer predicted how women could be sexually abused based on their zodiac signs. He also recommended an effective ‘mantra’ to protect women from being abused or even raped.

In response, an activist launched a Facebook page opposing the astrologer's predictions and demanded an anti- superstitious beliefs act, saying that these sort of predictions may send wrong signals to society. The astrologer lodged a complaint against the activist and the RR Nagar police summoned him under the IT act section 66 (D). This led to a public debate.

It all started with a news channel telecasting an astrology programme by a famous city astrologer, Mr. Sachchidananda Babu. Mr. Babu predicted how women from different zodiac signs may be sexually abused in their life, at which specific age this could happen and named the place of the possible rape.

For example, Mr. Babu had predicted that women with Aries as their zodiac sign may be sexually assaulted in the bathroom. Women with Capricorn as their zodiac sign may be sexually assaulted by a father, mother or colleague. Women with the Sagittarius zodiac sign may be sexually assaulted between 60 and 64 years. Those with Cancer as their zodiac sign may be sexually assaulted between 40 and 43 years while they were in any big office. Those with Aquarius as their zodiac sign may be raped by the brothers of the husband. He also predicted that women with Scorpio as their zodiac sign may be raped by none other than friends of the husband who were influenced by the husband himself.

Mr. Babu also suggested a mantra for self-protection at the time of crisis. He had suggested to women viewers that they chant the mantra at the threat of rape.