Sabarimala temple row LIVE updates: Hartal begins in Kerala, buses, auto stay off road; Centre asks state govt to ensure peace

Sabarimala temple row LIVE updates: Women journalists were heckled, their vehicles smashed and young female Ayyappa devotees turned back as hordes of activists of Hindu fringe groups besieged the road leading to the temple, abode to Lord Ayyappa, its eternally celibate deity, officials said.

Sabarimala temple row LIVE updates: Kerala State Road Transport Corporation isn't conducting its services today. A KSRTC bus was vandalised at Laka near Nilakkal base camp by protesters yesterday. Sabarimala Protection Committee has called for a 12-hour statewide strike in Kerala today. (ANI)

Sabarimala temple row LIVE updates: Protesters opposed the Supreme Court order of allowing the entry of women of menstrual age group into the shrine. The protest on Wednesday turned violent at Nilackal when the devotees clashed with the police officials yesterday and the police resorted to baton-charge. Women journalists were heckled, their vehicles smashed and young female Ayyappa devotees turned back as hordes of activists of Hindu fringe groups besieged the road leading to the temple, abode to Lord Ayyappa, its eternally celibate deity. A Delhi-based woman journalist of a foreign media outlet, who trekked the Sabarimala Hill, was today stopped midway by Lord Ayyappa devotees opposing entry of women of menstrual age into the hill shrine. The doors of Sabarimala temple in Kerala was opened Wednesday amid violent protests. The doors were opened for the first time since the Supreme Court lifted the centuries-old ban on entry of women of menstrual age but by available indications, none from this age group made it to the famed hilltop shrine. On September 28, a five-judge Constitution bench of the SC, headed by then chief justice Dipak Misra, lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine.

Sabarimala temple row: Track here for live update

• The Centre has asked the Kerala government to ensure peace across the state following protests against the Supreme Court order allowing women of all age groups to enter Sabarimala temple, officials said.The state government has been impressed upon the fact that it would be in direct contempt of the Supreme Court order if female devotees of any age are stopped from entering the temple, an official said quoting the advisory sent on October 15, reported news agency PTI.

•  A Keralite expat in Saudi Arabia has been sacked from his job for allegedly posting offensive remarks on women amid the Sabarimala temple row, the media reported. Deepak Pavithram, an employee of Lulu Hypermarket in Riyadh, was fired on Tuesday for making misogynist and insensitive comments about women on the social media, the Khaleej Times reported. • Reacting to women of menstruating ages not being allowed to enter the temple despite the top court's directive, Gopalakrishnan said, "We will think over how to face that. The devotees of Ayappa must be with us, not only in Kerala, not only in India, but all over the world." • Former president of Travancore Devaswom Board, Prayar Gopalakrishnan, on Thursday demanded an ordinance from the state and central governments against the entry of women aged between 10-50 years into Kerala's Sabarimala Temple. Gopalakrishnan's remarks came in the wake of the 12-hour statewide strike called by the Sabarimala Protection Committee earlier today over the incidents of violence and protests across Kerala. • "Supreme Court thinks only about the law of the land, not about the customs & traditions. So many devotees still want that the old custom should be maintained. I have only one opinion, which is based on the old custom & tradition," Kandararu Rajeevaru, Sabarimala Temple head priest. • Kandararu Rajeevaru, Sabarimala Temple head priest said, "It's a dangerous situation. Most of the devotees are desparate after SC verdict. It's my request that please maintain system&custom of Sabarimala Temple. I don't agree with violence. It hasn't been done by devotees but by others." • IGP Thiruvananthapuram range was quoted by ANI as saying, "We'll give protection to everybody going up. It's our job,to give protection to all pilgrims.We'll put more manpower&secure all routes.She(journalist Suhasini Raj reportedly working with New York Times)wasn't forced to come back, she came back." •  Visual: Journalist Suhasini Raj reportedly working with New York Times, on her way to Sabarimala Temple, returned midway after being stopped by protesters today. • Antharashtriya Hindu Parishad led by Parvin Togadia has also called for a hartal demanding that the CPI-M led LDF government promulgate a law to get around the apex court verdict. • Protesters opposing the Supreme Court order allowing the entry of women of menstrual age group into the shrine turned violent at Nilackal and clashed Wednesday and the police resorted to baton-charge. • The Congress said it would not join the strike but hold protest demonstrations across the state on Thursday. • The Sabarimala Samarakashna Samithi, an outfit of devotees, has called the hartal to protest the Wednesday 'police lathicharge' against Lord Ayyappa devotees at Nilackal, the base camp of Lord Ayappa shrine in Sabarimala. The BJP and its NDA partners have extended their support to the hartal call. • Police have also promulgated section 144 of CrPc in four places including Pamba, Sannidhanam to check any kind of protest and violence. • "This tradition had been there for so long & was being followed. Those who filed petitions against it are not the one who will go to temple. A large section of women follow this practice. Their sentiments were not considered," RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sabarimala Temple issue. • According to the reports by ANI, Journalist Suhasini Raj reportedly working with New York Times was on her way to the Sabarimala Temple, but she returned midway after being stopped by protesters. Police said, 'when she reached Marakoottam,she decided to come back after seeing the crowd. Police was ready to take her' • Stray incidents of stone-pelting on Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses were reported from some parts of the state, police said. However, private vehicles were plying in some areas. • Special security arrangements have been put in place at various locations including Pamba, Nilackal, Erumeli en route to the Sabarimala temple, located in Pathanamthitta district, officials said. • Buses and auto-rickshaws stayed off the road as a hartal called by various Hindu outfits in Kerala against the decision to allow women of all age groups to enter the Sabarimala temple began Thursday.

Kochi: Kerala State Road Transport Corporation isn't conducting its services today. A KSRTC bus was vandalised at Laka near Nilakkal base camp by protesters yesterday. Sabarimala Protection Committee has called for a 12-hour statewide strike in Kerala today. #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/nh4uyh5WK3

— ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2018

• Meanwhile, speaking on RSS Vijaya Dashami function, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat spoke said, "The premise of the tradition that has been accepted by society and continuously followed for years together was not taken into consideration. The version of heads of religious denominations and faith of crores of devotees was not taken into account." Track his live speech updates here: RSS Vijaya Dashami Function LIVE

The premise of the tradition that has been accepted by society&continuously followed for years together was not taken into consideration. The version of heads of religious denominations&faith of crores of devotees was not taken into account (in Sabarimala Case) #RSSVijayaDashami

— RSS (@RSSorg) October 18, 2018

• Local TV crew said she is in her late 40s and if she climbed the hill, she would be the first woman of the menstrual age group to visit the Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa after the Supreme Court order permitting women of all age groups to enter the shrine. •  A woman, said to be a Delhi-based journalist of a foreign media outlet, began trekking to Sabarimala hill amid protests by devotees opposing the entry of girls and women of menstrual age into the hill shrine. Police have thrown a security ring around the woman accompanied by her colleague, a foreigner. However, there is no confirmation regarding her age. • Chaos and mayhem on the road leading from Nilackal, the gateway to the shrine, 20 km away, to Pamba in the foothills from where the devotees start the arduous 6-km trek to Sabarimala reigned supreme, as activists of fought pitched battles with police, leaving many injured and bleeding. • The Pathanamthitta district authorities promulgated prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC banning assembly of four or more people in strife-torn Pamba and Nilackal following the violence and a strike called by right-wing outfits tomorrow. • Activist Rahul Easwar, a front-ranking leader of the protesters and votary of continuance of the tradition barring girls and women between 10 and 50 years from entering the temple, a custom which the Supreme Court overturned on September 28, was arrested at Pamba. • Incensed over Kerala's Left Front government's decision not to file a review plea against the Supreme Court verdict, protesters pelted police with stones and the latter hit right back with vengeance wielding batons with telling effect, leaving many fallen and writhing in pain on the road. • Several protesters were seen being bundled into police vehicles, while siren blaring ambulances carried some to hospitals. Simmering tension prevailing in Nilackal since morning erupted into raucous rowdyism as scores of activists of fringe groups heckled women journalists of at least four national TV channels and vandalised their vehicles. • Protesters wearing black and saffron turbans chased their cars, violently pounding and kicking the vehicles in a bid to stop them from proceeding to Pamba from Nilackal on way to Sabarimala. • At least 10 people from the media, including reporters and photojournalists, were injured and equipment of several of them damaged, senior minister E P Jayarajan said. Denouncing the attacks on media, he said cases were being registered against the suspects under sections relating to non-bailable offences. • Unfazed by the unfolding violence, Madhavi, a gutsy woman from Andhra Pradesh in her 40s, tried to trek the Sabarimala hills to reach the Lord Ayyappa temple but was forced to return to Pamba, menaced by agitated male devotees. (With inputs from agencies)