[Mrluvaluva]

Images of Big Brother star Shilpa Shetty and the American actor Richard Gere have been burnt on the streets of India - after they kissed at an event to promote Aids awareness.

The Bollywood actress and the American star of films like Pretty Woman had teamed up in a campaign to encourage safe sex among lorry drivers in India.

The country has the world's largest number of people living with HIV.

"No condom, no sex," 58-year-old Gere shouted in Hindi to thousands of truckers in New Delhi.

They whooped with delight and whistled loudly as he swooped down on a visibly surprised Shetty to kiss her on her hand and a number of times on the side of her face.

But later, groups of men burnt effigies of the Hollywood star, shouting "Down with Richard Gere" and kicked the smoking remains in the cities of Kanpur, Meerut, Varanasi and Indore.

They said Gere's kissing was against Indian culture.

Some burnt Shetty's posters, shouting "Death to Shilpa Shetty", and danced around the smouldering ashes.

Some, however, said there was too much fuss over a few kisses.

"I think he responded as an actor. He was playing to the gallery," said one Aids campaigner. "I don't see anything bad."

Shetty's spokesman Dale Bhagwagar said: "The media should concentrate on promotion of the cause of Aids awareness rather than make 'issues' out of Richard Gere's kisses."

Indian truckers are considered a high-risk group, as many have sex with prostitutes during their journeys.