PATHANAMTHITTA/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Security has been tightened near the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple, which opens on Wednesday for monthly pooja, the first time since the Supreme Court pronounced its verdict allowing women of all ages entry into the shrine, triggering widespread protests from devotees in the state and beyond.
On Tuesday, tense situation prevailed at Nilakkal, the base camp, after hundreds of women began their protest by chanting prayers in tents and prevented females in the 10-50 age group from proceeding to Sannidhanam.
The situation turned worse when Ratnamma, 60, a tribal woman tried to commit suicide in protest against the apex court verdict. The police intervened and foiled her bid. Later, a handful of persons, who disguised themselves as protesters and tried to create altercation, were taken into custody.
Police officers said the devotees randomly checked vehicles and asked women to go back. A group of college students from Bengaluru were also sent back.
A high-level police team led by Thiruvananthapuram Range IG Manoj Abraham is taking stock of the situation as more and more protestors have moved to Nilakkal. A big-strength police force, including a separate woman battalion, has been deployed in the area to ensure law and order situation.
The talks between the TDB and representatives of the erstwhile royal family of Pandalam and thantri family, who both asked the Board to quickly file a review petition, failed.
“The TDB refused to heed the devotees’ request and sought time till Friday to take a decision on the request at the meeting. We can’t afford it as there are only a few hours left for the shrine to open,” said Pandalam Palace Coordination Committee president Sasikumar Varma. A meeting of the priests and representatives of various outfits would be convened soon to decide on the course of agitation, he said.
TDB president A Padmakumar said the adamant stand of the devotees’ representatives to file the review petition on Tuesday itself led to the meeting’s failure.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said all steps would be taken to ensure the women devotees’ safety, adding that nobody will be allowed to take law into their hands.
Calling for a concerted effort to fight attempts to break the state’s “secular mind,” he said the apex court verdict could not be overcome through an ordinance or legislation.
Melsanthi Unnikrishnan Nampoothiri will open the temple’s sanctum sanctorum in the presence of thantri Kandararu Rajivararu.