Sabarimala: Amidst protest Andhra women denied darshan

Two women, who were on their way to Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, were brought to the police control room in Kerala's Pamba after they were stopped by the devotees from visiting the shrine on Sunday.

The women, who had come from Andhra Pradesh attempted to climb the hill at Pamba but were stopped by the agitators. They were later escorted to the police control room by the security personnel, amid raucous chants by the devotees.

Despite the Supreme Court overturning a ban on allowing females of all age groups to visit the Sabarimala Temple, devotees have been protesting against their entry to the place of worship.

On Saturday, a woman faced resistance from devotees on her entry to the temple as she 'looked younger' than permitted age for entry into the sanctum sanctorum of Shannidhanam.

Latha, who came to Sabarimala Temple along with her family from Trichy, had to show her identity card to the protesting devotees as they surrounded her outside the entrance of the temple to verify her age before she was allowed to pray.

The temple has been witnessing a huge gathering of devotees chanting slogans of Ayyappa protesting against the entry of women of menstruating age in the past few days, since the top court's ruling last month.

Security near the Sabarimala Temple has been stepped up following the volatile situation over the last few days after a few women unsuccessfully tried to enter the shrine with police protection. The Kerala police have stepped up the security in Nilleckal (gateway to Sabarimala) and Pamba (one of the base camps).

Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), responsible for the management of Sabarimala Temple said it will file a status report explaining the ground situation following the verdict by the apex court allowing women of all age group to the temple.