KOCHI: The High Court on Thursday asked the petitioners who moved the court against prohibitory order at Sabarimala, what the harm was in continuing with it when there was no problem for pilgrims.
A Division Bench comprising Justice P R Ramachandra Menon and Justice N Anilkumar also noted that the number of pilgrims visiting the hill shrine had increased, with 80,000 pilgrims visiting Sabarimala on Tuesday.
The Bench made the observation when a batch of petitions seeking to quash the prohibitory order imposed under CrPC Section 144 at the hill shrine came up for hearing.
The state government submitted the prohibitory order imposed only “reasonable restrictions” in the interest of public safety and public order, and to safeguard the temple and devotees.
HC reserves order in Surendran’s bail plea
Kochi: Reserving its order on the bail petition filed by BJP state general secretary K Surendran, who was arrested from Nilakkal, when he was proceeding to Sabarimala, the High Court on Thursday observed that the police can’t keep him in custody for a long time. When the prosecution pointed out Surendran was involved in eight cases, the court noted there were many cases pending against the ministers also. The order is expected to be pronounced on Friday.
The state submitted that Surendran was spearheading the ongoing agitation against the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict allowing entry of young women to Sabarimala. Cases have been booked against Surendran under Sections 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide) and 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the IPC. Surendran was part of the mob that attacked a 52-year-old woman devotee at Sannidhanam.