Sabarimala temple opens amid violent protests; Section 144 in four places

Even as the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala in Kerala opened for the the five-day monthly poojas for the Malayalam month of Thulam on Wednesday evening, protests intensified against the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all age groups to enter the hill shrine.

Nilakkal and Pamba, the two major base camps of Sabarimala pilgrimage, witnessed violent protests after the agitators pelted stones at police personnel and vehicles, including state transport buses carrying devotees. Police beat the protesters to disperse them, several of whom ran helter-skelter and entered the nearby forest area. Three policemen and five protesters have been seriously injured.

In the wake of the intensifying protests, Pathanamthitta district administration has imposed Section 144 at Elavunkal, Nilakkal, Pamba and Sannidhanam (temple complex and its premises) on Thursday. Collector P.B. Nooh said no demonstration or protests would be allowed in these places.

Meanwhile, Sabarimala Samrakshana Samithi and Antharashtriya Hindu Parishad have called for a 24-hour hartal in Kerala on Thursday. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been at the forefront of the protests, has extended its support to the hartal.

Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran held the BJP and the RSS responsible for the violence. Talking to mediapersons at Sannidhanam, he said the attack on women and journalists would not be tolerated.

“RSS is trying to put the blame on devotees. This is part of their political agenda,” said the minister.

Earlier several media personnel, who were at Nilakkal and Pamba to cover the developments, were injured in the violent clash. Three female journalists—one each from The News Minute, News18 and Republic TV—were attacked by protesting devotees. 

The National Commission for Women has urged the Kerala police to ensure security of women who wish to enter the Sabarimala temple and demanded stringent action against those taking law into their hands.

Earlier, Ayyappa Dharmasena president Rahul Easwar was detained at Sannidhanam. Rahul has been mobilising support from lakhs of Ayyappa devotees to spearhead an agitation against the top court verdict. His arrest came after a woman devotee from Andhra Pradesh was forced to return midway by the protesters. Liby, a woman from Alappuzha, was also prevented from proceeding to Sabarimala at Pathanamthitta bus terminal. She was escorted to safety by the police.

DGP Loknath Behera said 700 additional police personnel had been deployed in Pamba and Nilakkal to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of devotees proceeding to the temple.

At 5pm, amid chanting of 'Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa' mantras, the 'melshanti' (chief priest), Unnikrishnan Namboothiri and 'tantri' (head priest), Kandaru Rajeevaru, opened the portals of sanctum sanctorum of the shrine and lighted the ceremonial lamp.

The Supreme Court on September 28 overturned a centuries-old tradition barring women between 10 and 50 years from entering the temple in Pathanamthitta district.

Both the Congress, the main opposition party in Kerala, and the BJP, which is desperately seeking to expand its footprint in the state, have lent support to the agitation against the apex court verdict.

With inputs from agencies