30-year-old woman seeks police protection to offer prayers at Sabarimala
Pamba, Nov 5 : A 30-year-old woman has reached the base camp of Sabarimala temple here and sought police protection to offer prayers at the hill shrine after it opened for a two-day special puja Monday evening, an official said.
The woman, Anju, identified herself as a native of Cherthala in Alappuzha district.
She along with her husband and two children approached the Pamba police soon after the temple was opened.
"She is at the police control room here now. She says she wants to trek to the hill shrine. No decision has been taken so far on whether to take her to the temple or not today," a police official told PTI.
Her husband Abhilash and children aged 7 and 4 years are with her, he said. T V channels aired the visuals of Anju and husband talking to police personnel at the control room.
As the news spread, a large number of devotees gathered at a local auditorium here and began chanting Lord Ayyappa matras to protest the arrival of the young woman.
Armed with the recent Supreme Court verdict permitting women of all age groups into the shrine around a dozen women in the "traditionally barred" age group of 10-50 years had tried in vain to reach the Sabarimala Temple but were forced to return after being heckled by devotees last month.
The temple would close at 10 pm Monday night before opening again on Tuesday.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
8 children between ages of 1 and 14 dead after mass shooting in Louisiana, police say
Shreveport(US) (AP): A gunman in Louisiana killed eight children in shootings at two different homes early Sunday in the nation's deadliest mass shooting in more than two years, police in Shreveport said.
The victims ranged in age from one to about 14 years old, said Shreveport police spokesperson Chris Bordelon. A total of 10 were shot and some of the children were related to the suspect, Bordelon said.
The gunman later died after a chase with officers who fired at the suspect, Bordelon said. The suspect stole a car while leaving the scene of the shootings and was followed by police, according to Bordelon.
Police did not release the name of the suspect but did say he was an adult male. The shootings were the result of a “domestic disturbance,” Bordelon said.
Officials said they were still gathering details at the crime scenes south of downtown Shreveport — the two homes and a third location.
“This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” he said.
It was the deadliest mass shooting in the US since eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb in January 2024, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
At a news conference outside the residence where one of the shootings occurred, officials appeared stunned, requesting patience and prayers from the community as they sorted through multiple crime scenes.
“I just don't know what to say, my heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. “I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”
“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever had,” said Tom Arceneaux, mayor of the city in northwestern Louisiana with about 180,000 residents. “It's a terrible morning.”
Louisiana State Police say their detectives have been asked by Shreveport police to investigate. In a statement, state police say no officers were harmed in the shooting that involved an officer after a police pursuit into Bossier City on Sunday morning.
State police are asking anyone with pictures, video or information to share it with state police detectives.
Louisiana Gov Jeff Landry said in a statement that he and his wife were heartbroken. “We're deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers and first responders working tirelessly on the scene,” he added.
