Want to be a
Soolegal Member
Team SoOLEGAL
18 Oct 2018 12:00pm

Supreme Court writ fails in Sabarimala as Protesters Prevent Entry of Women into the Temple

0
0
5
0

Despite the Supreme Court’s historic ruling allowing women between the age of 10 and 50 to enter the Sabarimala Temple, history cannot be made as there was not a single woman in the contested age group present anywhere near the sanctum Sanctorum of Kerala’s Sabarimala temple on Wednesday – when the Sabarimala temple doors opened for the first time post the SC verdict.

In fact, the closest any woman in the contested age bracket could reach was a point near the holy Pamba river from where devotees have to trek nearly 6km uphill to the shrine.

Agitators ran riot in Nilakkal and Pamba, the two main base camps of Sabarimala, and had turned violent during the day. 

Despite the high security and assurances from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, two female devotees were forced to turn back fearing for their safety. Also, several women journalists were heckled and troublemakers pelted stones at their media vehicles.

Police, who were clearly outnumbered, remained mute spectators earlier in the day.

However, later the police arrested several protesters, including 83-year-old Devika Antharjanam, wife of Kandararu Maheshwararu, the chief priest of the Thazhamon tanthri family.

Antharjanam’s daughter, Mallika Nambudiri (57), was also forcefully removed by police from the protest venue.

Because of the tense law-and-order situation on the route to Sabarimala, Pathanamthitta district collector P B Nooh has imposed Section 144 at Nilackal, Pamba, Elavunkal and Sannidhanam. Police even deployed a commando team at Sabarimala and another team of 300 police officials, including 11 circle inspectors, 33 sub-inspectors and women personnel, to control the situation.

 


Tagged: Sabarimala Temple Protests in Sabarimala Sabarimala Women Entry Blocked Supreme Court Nilakkal Pamba Kerala Section 144
Did you find this write-up useful? YES 0 NO 1
Active Members view all

New Members view all