2 women reach Sabrimala Temple with police protection; Blocked by protesters, priest

Two women who had trekked 5kms uphill to the visit the shrine had to return after a large group of protesters formed a human wall to block them.

The Supreme Court, last month, removed the ban on women of menstruating age entering the temple of Lord Ayyappa. (Image: ANI)

Pamba/ New Delhi: As the protest over Supreme Court’s verdict on entry of women in Sabrimala Temple continues in Kerala, two women who had trekked 5 kms uphill to the visit the shrine had to return after a large group of protesters formed a human wall to block them. According to a report by news agency ANI, a woman journalist along with an activist where just 500 metres from taking the historic 18 steps that leads to the sanctum of the temple where no woman between the age of 10 to 50 have entered since centuries. While the two women escorted by around 300 policemen in riot gear reached the spot, about a dozen of priests along with thousands protesters started chanting and clapping to stop them. “Police will not create any issue in Sabarimala and we don't want a confrontation with you devotees. We are only following the law. I will be discussing with the higher authorities and brief them on the situation,” Inspector General S Sreejith told protesting devotees. Sreejith also informed that the situation was explained to the women before and they are now returning from the Sabrimala Temple on their own will. “We have told the female devotees about the situation, they will now be going back. So we are pulling pack. They have decided to return,” he said. The Supreme Court, last month, removed the ban on women of menstruating age entering the temple of Lord Ayyappa. However, it has been three days that Sabarimala has been open for the first time since the landmark order and no woman below the age of 50 years has made it to the shrine. Even the head priest of the temple Kandararu Rajeevaru has threatened to lock the temple and hand over the keys to Devaswom Board which runs the temple, if any woman enters the shrine. “We have decided to lock the temple and handover the keys and leave. I stand with the devotees. I do not have any other option,” he said earlier today. “It's a ritualistic disaster. We took them up to temple & gave them protection but 'darshan' is something which can be done with consent of priest. We will give them (journalist Kavitha Jakkal and woman activist Rehana Fatima whatever protection they want,” said Kerala IG. Even on Thursday morning, two journalists of a foreign media house who tried to reach the temple had to return after protesters blocked their way. Speaking in support of Supreme Court's directive, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said no one would be allowed to stop women from going to Sabarimala Temple.