Lankan woman tries to enter Sabarimala, stopped en-route by devotees

After two women who offered prayers at Sabarimala temple, in Kerala, India, recently, a 46-year-old woman from Sri Lanka tried to enter the holy shrine but was stopped by Lord Ayyappa devotees. 

Several media reports had suggested that the woman had entered the temple, however, she told the news agency ANI that she went up to the holy steps, but was not allowed to go further. The woman was accompanied by her relatives.

Earlier, two women in their 40s, Bindu and Kanakadurga, created history by defying the centuries-old ban on the entry of women between the age of 10 to 50 and offered prayers at Sabarimala. The women, however, maintained that they had no affiliations to any political party and denied allegations saying that they were not tools of anyone, reported news agency PTI.

Violent protests erupted across the state as soon as this news spread and Sabarimala Karma Samithi, an umbrella organisation of pro-Hindutva groups, and the Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP) called for a shutdown on Wednesday bringing the state to a standstill.

The ruling CPI(M) also faced the wrath of the angry protesters and 20 party offices across the state were attacked. Around six BJP workers were stabbed in different parts of the state while many sustained injuries during the protests which engulfed the entire state.

As per the police, 750 protesters were arrested across the state for indulging in violence, 628 were taken into preventive custody and 559 cases were registered.

Kandararu Rajeevararu, the head priest, closed the temple for an hour and performed the ‘kalasapuja’ and purification rites at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.

Source: Times Now
-Agencies