Palakkad(Kerala), Jan 8: Six people, including three women, who wanted to visit the famed Vavar mosque at Erumeli near the Sabarimala temple, have been arrested on charges of trying to create animosity between religious groups, police said Tuesday.
All the six, said to be members of the Hindu Makkal Katchi, hail from Tamil Nadu and wanted to visit the vavar mosque, which is related to the Sabarimala pilgrimage, they said.
The Erumeli Nainar Juma Masjid, also known as Vavar 'Palli' (mosque) is dedicated to Vavar, the Muslim companion of Lord Ayyappa, the adopted son of the erstwhile Pandalam king as per Hindu belief.
The devotees of Lord Ayyappa visit the mosque during the November-January annual pilgrim season.
They do not enter the prayer hall but circumambulate the mosque, provide Kanikka (offering) and break coconut at the premises as part of traditions.
Cases under various sections of the IPC, including for promoting enmity between various religious groups, punishment for criminal trespass, unlawful assembly and punishment for rioting were registered against them.
The arrested women are Sushila (35), Revathi (39) both from Tirupur, and Gandhimathi (51) from Tirunelveli.
The men- Tirupathi (50), Murugasamy (75) and Senthil Kumar (31), hail from Tirupur and Coimbatore, Kozhinjampara police, bordering Tamil Nadu.
The six were arrested Monday and remanded to custody Tuesday, police said.
The Sabarimala temple had witnessed violence protests when two women in their forties had trekked the holy shrine and offered prayers on January 2.
A hartal called the next day to protest against the temple entry had seen large scale violence all over the state.
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New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting Sunday evening with senior ministers to review to take stock of petroleum, power, and fertiliser sectors in view of the evolving West Asia situation, sources have said.
The focus of the meeting is to ensure uninterrupted supply, stable logistics and efficient distribution across the country, and the government is taking proactive steps to this end, they said.
Continuous monitoring of global developments to protect consumer and industry interests is the key focus of the government, they said.
On March 12, Modi said that the war in West Asia has triggered a worldwide energy crisis, posing a critical test of national character that requires dealing with circumstances through peace, patience, and increased public awareness.
The prime minister emphasised that his government is working relentlessly to address disruptions that have emerged in international supply chains.
"Continuous efforts are also underway to determine how we can overcome the disruptions that have occurred in the supply chain," Modi said.
The prime minister has spoken to many global leaders since the West Asia conflict started on February 28, with the US and Israel attacking Iran.
Iran has retaliated by attacking Israel and several of its Gulf neighbours.
Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which 20 per cent of the world's energy is transported. Since the conflict, very few ships have been allowed by Iran to cross it.
The blockade has resulted in severe disruptions in energy supply to many countries, including India.
Since the conflict, Modi has had telephonic conversations with leaders from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, France, Malaysia, Israel and Iran.
