Shani Shingnapur temple entry ban row: Who is Bhumata Ranragini Brigade's chief Trupti Desai?

Ahmednagar: A group of women activists headed to Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra were stopped at Supa village, 70 km from the shrine. The protest was led by Bhumata Ranragini Brigade which had announced to worship Lord Shani at the sacred platform as a symbolic gesture to break the gender barrier at the shrine.

Trupti Desai, president of Bhumata Ranragini Brigade, was detained and taken to Supa Police Station. Later, she was released.

Here are five things to know about Trupti Desai:-

1) - Trupti Desai graduated from Mumbai's Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey  (SNDT) Women's University

2) - She is the president of Bhumata Ranragini Brigade

3) - Trupti Desai's organisation had threatened to storm the famous Shani Shingnapur Temple - if need be, from the sky route even via a helicopter - when its sanctum sanctorum opens on Tuesday.

4) - She was earlier associated with Anna Hazare-led India Against Corruption (IAC)

5) - The Shani Shingnapur temple landed in controversy after a woman climbed the platform on Nov 28 and was criticised. On Dec 19, four more women, including Trupti Desai of Bhumata Ranragini Brigade, tried to climb the platform, angering local villagers. Trupti Desai's Bhumata Ranragini Brigade then announced that it would mobilise women and enter the temple on Republic Day to break the tradition.