Activists of Hindu rightwing groups went on rampage in several north Indian cities Monday to protest Hollywood superstar Richard Gere hugging Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty, while a hitherto unknown fringe group damaged the STAR TV office in Mumbai to protest the presence of a Muslim boy and a Hindu girl on the media group's premises.

Shiv Sena members attacked a press conference Monday being addressed by Shilpa in Mumbai in the wake of Gere giving her a surprise hug and peck on her cheeks at a show organised in New Delhi Sunday to create AIDS awareness amongst truck drivers. They also burnt the effigies of both actors and demanded that the Hollywood actor should leave the country immediately.

A shocked Shilpa, who was shooting for her movie, reacted angrily over the burning of the effigies and the protests by the Shiv Sena across the country. "If protecting Indian culture and tradition means burning our effigies, please go ahead and carry on with your protests. But, our culture also teaches us to imbibe 'Atithi Devo Bhava' (the guest is god)."

"I was completely taken aback. My work was disrupted. The set was damaged. I know it is blown out of proportion. I feel people are overreacting. Don't misuse the freedom of expression in a democracy," she told media persons.

Defending Gere, she said: "He was just trying to strike a dancing pose. In India entertainment means song and dance, so he was trying to do something entertaining. That's it. He didn't try to kiss me on my lips. He was just giving me a peck on my cheeks. I know it is a trivial issue. Somebody is trying to do something for your country and you are treating him so badly."

"I don't understand why are we making an idiot of ourselves by blowing it up. We will look like an idiot on British media. Whatever has happened is wrong," said Shilpa, who has been in news after winning the British reality TV show "Big Brother".

Apart from Mumbai and New Delhi, sporadic protests were seen in Kanpur, Jaipur, Varanasi, Meerut and Indore by so-called guardians of morality. "This is an intolerable and obscene act. It is against the values, culture and traditions of the nation. Gere must apologise," said a protester at Indore.

"This act has hurt the sentiments of people. This should not have happened publicly," said another protester. People came out on the streets in hundreds to protest and burned the effigies of Gere. They are demanding that he apologise to Shilpa and the country.

Meanwhile, a group of activists belonging to the Hindu Rashtriya Sena ransacked the office of leading media house STAR TV in Mumbai protesting the presence of a Muslim boy and a minor Hindu girl from Surat in the studio. The attackers smashed nearly 30 cars parked outside the office and also damaged office furniture, the police said.

"We condemn this attack on our office by certain antisocial elements. They completely ransacked the STAR News Office in Mumbai today, injuring our security and other staff and causing huge financial damage," said STAR CEO Uday Shankar.

"It is alarming that people are using such means to register their protests. We believe that this is in reaction to our coverage about a young eloped couple from Surat." Police said that 35 people had been detained in the case and action would be taken.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil, who rushed to the STAR TV headquarters soon after the incident, told reporters: "We will not let any one get away with attack on the media in the state. The culprits will be brought to book by tonight.

"One Dananjay Desai, the self-proclaimed leader of the group who has several criminal cases against him, will be picked up soon."

"We have information on the Hindu Rashtriya Sena, it has some activists in Pune and we sill soon crack down on them," said Patil who also holds the home portfolio.