Protest breaks out at Sabarimala after 2 women try to enter temple
Sabarimala temple
Clashes erupted near the Sabarimala temple in Kerala again on Wednesday morning as two women made an unsuccessful attempt to trek up to the hill shrine.
The women, below 50 years of age, attempted to climb the hill and offer prayers in the temple at around 4 am.
Dressedas men, the women were accompanied by police personnel and had managed to cross the base camp.
They were however identified by male pilgrims at the temple who started protesting against their entry into the temple.
The protest escalated after over hundreds of others joined.
Thereafter the police along with the two women had to retreat.
The temple had witnessed protests from frenzied devotees over the entry of women in the 10-50 age group in the shrine after the CPI(M)-led LDF government decided to implement a Supreme Court order allowing women of all age to offer prayers there.
The main opposition Congress-led UDF and the BJP has been opposing the entry of young women, saying they are with the devotees.
Twowomen in their 40s entered Sabarimala templeearlier this month and offered prayers at the main shrine.
Kanaka Durga, one of the two women who had entered the temple, has alleged that she was thrashed by her mother-in-law for defying the ban.
Durga, 39, a civil servant, suffered injuries to her head and had to be hospitalised, police said.
According to reports, the women trekked to the hill shrine on January 2. They offered their prayers at 3:45 am.