India
Protests continue to rock Sabarimala.
Updated : Nov 06, 2018, 08:15 AM IST
Protests continued in full steam at Sabarimala on the second day of the temple opening for a two-day special puja. Day one passed peacefully amid unprecedented security over apprehension of protests by those opposing the Supreme Court order allowing women of all age groups into the shrine.
Though no girl or woman in the age group of 10-50 years was spotted at the temple, the abode of Lord Ayyappa, its eternally celibate deity, police said a 30-year-old woman had reached the base camp at Pamba along with her husband and two kids.However, the woman, Anju, a native of Cherthala in Alappuzha district, told police that she was not keen to visit the shrine and admitted that she had come to Pamba following pressure from her husband, Abilash.Police claimed it was her husband, who was adamant that the family, including their children aged 7 and 4 years, undertake the pilgrimage.
However, protests turned violent on day 2 as journalists were attacked who were present in the spot to cover the news. In that, one camerman named Biju belonging to a private news channel has been injured according to ANI report.
Kerala: Amrita TV cameraman Biju, injured during protests at #SabarimalaTemple over the entry of a woman devotee pic.twitter.com/ZbOqsbXS6u
— ANI (@ANI) November 6, 2018
Today "Sree Chitira Atta Thirunal" puja wil be held to mark the birth anniversary of the last king of the princely state of Travancore Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court said on Monday pilgrims should not be harassment under the guise of implementating the Supreme Court judgment."You can't cause hardships to pilgrims," the court said while hearing a petition seeking its direction to the government not to interfere with day-to-day affairs of the shrine.
On Monday, a tape emerged where Kerala BJP chief was heard saying that Sabarimala protest is part of their political agenda.
With Agency inputs