Nithyananda Dead? Or April Fools Day Hoax? Demise Speculations Rise

Is controversial godman Nithyananda dead? Several Tamil media outlets are speculating about his untimely demise.

Several media outlets have claimed that the godman passed away without explaining the cause of his death. Some people believe that it might be an April Fools Day hoax story.

However, Nithyananda's team has denied the rumours, stating there is no truth to the speculation.

It started after a recent video of the self-proclaimed godman went viral where he was heard speaking during a Shivaratri Satsang. However, the sermon was abruptly cut off midway, allegedly due to a technical glitch. Since then, no further satsangs have been held, fueling speculation about his whereabouts.

Amid this uncertainty, reports emerged claiming that Nithyananda had passed away two days ago. Adding to the mystery, his nephew, Sundareswaran, released a video last Sunday in which he stated that Swami (Nithyananda) had "sacrificed his life to protect Hindu Dharma."

However, Oneindia cannot independently verify the authenticity of the claims. His ashram has also not issued any statement on the death reports.

Who Is Nithyananda?

Nithyananda, the founder of Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, has been a fugitive since 2019 after fleeing India following multiple criminal charges, including rape and abduction. A non-bailable warrant remains in force against him. He is also wanted in France for fraud-related allegations.

In 2020, he declared the establishment of 'Kailaasa,' a so-called Hindu sovereign nation, though experts and media outlets have dismissed it as a fictitious entity or a scam. The 'nation' has been described as a global network of NGOs rather than a legitimate country.This isn't the first time rumors about Swami Nithyananda's death have surfaced. In 2022, reports claimed he was suffering from severe cognitive issues, unable to recognize people, names, or places, and was under the care of 27 doctors.

At the time, Nithyananda dismissed these rumors via his Facebook account, stating that he was not dead but in a state of 'Samadhi'-a deep, subconscious meditative state. He assured his followers that the reports were false, though he admitted it would take time for him to resume speaking or leading spiritual sessions.

Meanwhile, authorities in Bolivia recently deported 20 members of Kailaasa for allegedly attempting to seize indigenous land. The group had entered the country as tourists, with some residing there since November 2024. An investigative report by the Bolivian newspaper El Deber revealed that Kailaasa had signed 1,000-year lease agreements for 4.8 lakh hectares of public land with three indigenous communities, according to a report in The News Minute.

Bolivia's Minister of Government, Eduardo Del Castillo Del Carpio, stated that under the agreement, the so-called 'United States of Kailaasa' was granted full autonomy over the land and its resources in exchange for an annual payment of $108,000.

"This sect entered Bolivia as tourists, arriving at different times through various entry points. Some individuals had been in Bolivia since November 2024, while the majority entered in January 2025," Bolivia's Immigration Director Katherine Calderón said.