SC to hear pleas of women who entered Sabarimala Temple tomorrow

Supreme Court will hear the pleas filed by the two women of menstrual age who entered the Sabarimala Temple recently seeking police protection, on November 18.

Nearly four months after the top court's verdict allowing women of all ages to enter the temple, Bindu and Kanakadurga, both aged below 50, entered the Lord Ayyappa temple to offer prayers.

Kanakadurga was hospitalised after being thrashed by her mother-in-law on January 15 following her visit to the temple.

The victim said she was hit around 10-12 times with a wooden stick by her mother-in-law as soon as she entered her residence.

A case has been registered by Perinthalmanna police based on Kanakadurga's complaint under Sections 341 and 324 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against her mother-in-law.

On September 28 last year, the apex court lifted the ban on the entry of women aged between 10 and 50 years into the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala.

After their entry, a purification process took place in the temple, while violent protests broke out across the state with agitators pelting stones and blocking the national highways.