Activist Rehana Fathima held for hurting religious sentiments

The woman from Ernakulam had courted controversy after she made a vain bid to enter the Sabarimala shrine.

Kochi: The Kerala Police have arrested activist Rehana Fathima for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

The activist was booked by the police in Pathanamthitta on the basis of a complaint filed by one Radhakrishna Menon alleging some of her Facebook posts hurt religious sentiments.

She was booked under Section 295A of IPC (outraging religious feelings).

Anticipating arrest, Rehana had moved the High Court seeking anticipatory bail. Dismissing the bail plea, the court had last week directed that the police can take appropriate steps in the case.

The woman from Ernakulam had courted controversy after she made a vain bid to enter the Sabarimala shrine. She was among the two women who had reached the hilltop on October 19 but had to return before reaching the sanctum sanctorum following massive protests by Ayyappa devotees.

Rehana and Hyderabad-based journalist Kavitha were taken to the hills with heavy police protection.

On September 28, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of child-bearing age into the shrine. Subsequently, Rehana and other young women tried to reach the hill shrine.