Sabarimala protest: Over 3500 people arrested

The Kerala Police has arrested at least 3505 protesters till now in connection with violence that broke out in the state earlier this month over Supreme Court's verdict on Sabarimala Temple.

Besides this, around 529 cases have been registered across the state till Sunday.

Last week, the police had issued a lookout notice for 210 people, suspected to be involved in instigating violence, manhandling journalists and devotees at Nilakkal, Pamba and Sabarimala over the entry of women in the shrine.

Several protests were staged after the doors of the Lord Ayyappa's temple opened on October 17 for the first time in compliance with the apex court's verdict allowing women of all ages to enter the shrine.

On September 28, a five-member constitutional bench headed by then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra had allowed the entry of women of a menstrual age (10 to 50) in the temple.

However, not a single woman could enter the shrine owing to the widespread protests across the state. The temple closed down for the month on October 22 after it opened for five days as a monthly ritual in the Malayalam month of Thul.