VIJAYAWADA: Amid tension that prevailed at Nilakkal and Pamba, the two base camps of Sabarimala pilgrims, a 45-year woman from East Godavari district made a vain bid to trek the hill shrine but had to turn back after stiff resistance from devotees who were protesting against the SC judgment allowing entry of women, aged between 15 and 50 years, into the Lord Ayyappa temple.
According to reports reaching here, the woman from Andhra Pradesh could not proceed from Pamba as protestors prevented her from proceeding further.
The pilgrim, identified as Madhavi, along with her family members would have been the first woman aged between 15-50 to trek to the Sabarimala hills after the Supreme Court verdict.
With heavy deployment of police personnel in and around Pamba, Madhavi and her family members could reach up to Pamba on Wednesday morning where she was stopped. She took the Swamy Ayyappan road, one of the two paths to Sannidhanam (the temple complex).
The family under police protection could move further but after a short distance towards Pamba, they decided to return as angry activists reportedly belonging to Ayyappa Dharma Sena surrounded and asked them to go back.
Speaking to local media, Madhavi said that the police withdrew protection after they walked some distance and she was obstructed by activists forcing her to turn back.
In presence of police personnel
With heavy deployment of police personnel in and around Pamba, Madhavi and her family members could reach up to Pamba on Wednesday morning where she was stopped. She took the Swamy Ayyappan road. They decided to return as angry activists from Ayyappa Dharma Sena surrounded and asked them to go back