Thiruvananthapuram: Hindu Aikya Vedi president KP Sasikala and other leaders who were taken into preventive detention from the Sabarimala temple premises were granted bail on Saturday.

Sasikala, who was produced before the sub-divisional magistrate at Thiruvalla on Saturday, said she will head to the temple.

Following the detention, Hindu Aikya Vedi called for a 12-hour shutdown in Kerala. The BJP also backed the hartal.

More than a thousand of her supporters cordoned off the Ranni police station when she was brought there.

Sasikala was initially offered bail by the police which she refused and demanded to be produced before a magistrate. She also demanded that she be taken back to the place from where she was detained.

Just before she was taken to the magistrate, she addressed her supporters: "It was because of your support that I am now out and after presenting myself before the magistrate I will go to Sabarimala temple and pray. I was taken into custody for no reason as I came to the temple to offer prayers as any devout pilgrim would do," she said.

The police told the media they can take anyone into preventive custody if they feel it would help to defuse tense situations.

The temple town has witnessed protests since the September 28 Supreme Court verdict that allowed women of all age groups to enter the temple.

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