Thiruvananthapuram: Rahul Easwar, president of the 'Ayyappa Dharma Sena, was on Sunday arrested for his alleged provocative statement related to the ongoing Sabarimala temple row. A case was registered against Easwar under IPC Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 117 (abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than 10 persons). A complaint filed by a Thiruvananthapuram native alleged that Easwar last week that they had a contingency plan to force the closure of the Sabari temple by spilling blood on its premises by some devotees in case any woman in the 'barred' age group managed to reach it.

Easwar, a member of the Thazhamon family of Sabarimala tantris (head priests), had also claimed that 20 Lord Ayyappa devotees were ready to inflict knife injuries on themselves on the temple premises, which would have forced the priests to close the gates on account of impurity.

"Had their blood fallen on the floor of the temple, that would have forced the priests to shut the shrine for three days for purification rituals," Easwar had said.

Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakkampally Surendran had claimed that effective police intervention had foiled the protesters' bid to "desecrate" the Ayyappa Temple by spilling blood in the premises if women devotees in the 10-50 age group offered prayers.

Easwar was earlier arrested from Sabarimala Sannidhanam (temple complex) on October 17 over the 'save Sabarimala campaign, and later released on bail.

The Supreme Court had on September 28 overturned a centuries-old practice that barred women of menstrual age (10-50 years) from entering the hill temple, where a celibate deity Lord Ayyappa is worshipped. On October 17, the temple opened for the five-day monthly puja. However, the protesters ensured that no women in the barred age group could enter sanctum sanctorum until October 22 when the gates closed.

(With inputs from agencies)