12-year-old barred from proceeding to Lord Ayyappa temple

A 12-year-old girl from Puducherry, who had come for darshan to Lord Ayyappa temple here along with her father, was not allowed to proceed to the shrine from Pamba on Tuesday morning.

The age of the girl, with "irrumudikettu" (offerings to Lord Ayyappa) had been shown as 10 in the virutal Q booking.

Women police examined the girl's aadhar card and found that she was 12 years old and refused to allow her to proceed further from Pamba to the shrine complex, police said.

After those accompanying the child were informed about the current situation in Sabarimala, her father and other relatives proceeded to the temple.

Supporting the shrine's tradition, a nine-year-old Keralite girl, who came to the temple complex from Karnataka on Monday, had a placard around her neck inscribed with the words "Ready to wait. Will visit the shrine after attaining 50 years."