Nilakkal: Ayyappa Dharma Sena president Rahul Easwar arrived at Nilakkal on Saturday to protest the entry of women of child-bearing age group at the Sabarimala. However, after the police warned that he could be arrested, he returned.
The activist told TV channels that he would stage further protests if the Supreme Court were to reject the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB)'s plea seeking more time to implement its order. He also claimed the police have unofficially told him that women of child-bearing age would not be allowed to enter Sabarimala.
Sasikala arrested
Meanwhile, Hindu Aikya Vedi state president, K P Sasikala, who was on a pilgrimage to the Ayyappa shrine, was taken into 'preventive custody' near Marakkootam, close to Sabarimala, at 2.30 am after she allegedly defied the prohibitory orders.
Police had decided not to allow devotees enter the temple premises when it was closed for the night.
Sasikala was stopped by them late Friday night when she was on her way to the shrine with the traditional 'Irrumudikettu' as the temple would have been closed by the time she would have reached there. She was later taken to Ranni police station.
Sudheer, leader of another outfit, was also taken into preventive custody.
Aikya Vedi protesters, meanwhile, gathered outside the Ranni police station and Erumely and began Namajapa protests Saturday morning. A hartal called by the outfit in under way in the state.
Condemning the police action, BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai said the state government's effort is to 'destroy' the Sabarimala pilgrimage.
"Government wants to destroy the traditions of Sabarimala. Why was Sasikala arrested? The BJP will strengthen its protests and support the hartal," Pillai told reporters at Kozhikode.
The temple opened Friday evening, for the third time since the Supreme Court lifted the ban on entry of women of child-bearing age, though no girl or woman pilgrim in the 10-50 age group has been able to offer prayers because of resistance by devotees and activists opposing any change in the temple tradition.
The TDB, which manages the shrine, has made it clear that it would approach the apex court either Saturday or Monday, seeking more time to implement its September 28 verdict permitting women of all ages to offer prayers at the Sabarimala temple.
(With PTI inputs)
Read more: Latest Kerala news
