Sabarimala row: Two women sent back amid protest from devotees

(UNI) Amid protest from devotees, the two young women who began trekking from Pamba to Sannidanam to have darshan of Lord Ayyappa were stopped at Marakkuttam and sent back, on Monday.

The women, identified as Ms Bindu from Koilandy and Ms Kanga Durga from Angadippuram in Malappuram, were dropped their plan to visit the temple following stiff protection from devotees of other States including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

According to various reports, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President A Padmakumar spoke to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and DGP Loknath Behra over telephone on the volatile situation prevailing in the hillock temple.

The TDB President called the Chief Minister and the DGP after reaching a conclusion that a police action against the devotees would lead to a serious law and order problem in the State.

Later, a direction from the Chief Minister’s office was given to the police to arrest the two women or ask them to leave the place. However, the two women who were adamant to visit the temple have been evacuated by the police forcefully.