Protests erupt at Sabarimala temple in Kerala, media persons injured

SABARIMALA: Protests and minor clashes were reported from the famous Sabarimala Temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa in Kerala in which some media persons were injured on Tuesday.

According to reports, a photo-journalist was injured after protesting devotees targeted media persons at the Sabarimala temple this morning.

Kerala: Visuals of protests from Sannidhaman in #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/XN9wODeIgW — ANI (@ANI) November 6, 2018

According to ANI, a cameraman named Biju associated with the Amrita TV was injured during protests at the Sabarimala temple over the entry of a woman devotee.

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

The protests erupted after hundreds of protesters, gathered at the Sannidhanam, resisted a woman devotee, believed to be in the menstrual age, from entering the temple dedicated to the celibate deity.

The police tried to convince the protesters that the woman is 52 and had come to the temple with her son.

The two were taken to the police station. 

The woman, identified as Lalitha, from Thrissur later offered prayers at the temple under police protection. 

The Sabarimala shrine opened on Monday for the second time in three weeks for a two-day special puja amid unprecedented security over the fear of protests by those opposing the Supreme Court's order allowing women of all age groups into the temple.

The doors of the temple will be opened again on Tuesday for the "Sree Chitira Atta Thirunal" puja to mark the birth anniversary of the last king of the princely state of Travancore Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.

Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court has said that pilgrims should not be harassed under the guise of implementing 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 the day-to-day affairs of the shrine

No woman in the age group of 10-50 years has been able to visit Sabarimala temple since the top court's order on September 28.