Protesters prevent two women from entering Sabarimala temple
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 16: Two women of the menstruating age, who trekked the Sabarimala hill Wednesday, were stopped midway by protesters opposing the entry of women into the Lord Ayyappa temple, police said.
Reshma Nishanth and Shanila, both residents of Kannur district, attempted to climb the holy hill early in the morning but were prevented from proceeding to the temple after the devotees spotted them with 'Irumudikettu' (offerings to Lord Ayyappa).
"They were stopped at Neelimala (en route Sabarimala).
They were brought down after protests broke out. After taking them down to Pamba, they were moved to Erumeli at around 7 AM," police said.
Sources said the women came along with a group of men.
"We had informed the police before reaching here seeking protection," Nishanth told media.
TV channels reported that both women, who are now under police custody, sat on indefinite fast demanding that they be allowed to enter the shrine.
Reacting to the development, Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran termed the act of stopping devotees (women) from visiting Sabarimala "barbaric."
"All women who have followed the vritham can enter Sabarimala. The act of stopping devotees from visiting the shrine is barbaric. What's happening at Sabarimala is goondaism," he said.
Since the shrine opened for the Mandalam-Makaravilakku festivities on November 17, it had witnessed massive protests by devotees and right-wing outfits against the state government's decision to implement the Supreme Court's order, allowing women of all ages to enter the temple.
Traditionally, girls and women in the menstruating age group of 10-50 years were barred from offering prayers at the shrine, the presiding deity of which is "Naishtika Brahmachari" (perennial celibate).
According to police, three women of menstruating age have so far offered prayers at the hill temple during the season.
The hill shrine would be closed on January 20.
Violence involving BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M) had rocked parts of Kerala during the January 3 hartal with several houses and shops of rival leaders and workers being attacked over the entry of two women into the temple.
Kanakadurga (44), a civil supplies department employee from Angadipuram in Malappuram, and Bindu (42), a college lecturer and CPI(ML) activist from Kozhikode district's Koyilandy, had entered the hill shrine on January 2, breaking a centuries-old tradition and defying dire threats from right-wing groups.
Following their entry, the head priest decided to close the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in order to perform the "purification" ritual, which used to be carried out during the time of the violation of temple customs.
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Purported sleazy videos case: Action on suspended DGP after dept inquiry, says Home Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday said that the government will decide on further action against the now-suspended DGP K Ramachandra Rao based on recommendations following a departmental inquiry into a case concerning videos purportedly showing him behaving obscenely with women in his office.
The minister's comments followed reports that the special probe committee has ruled out Rao's claims that the clips were fake and AI-generated.
"After further departmental inquiry, whatever they recommend, the government will decide based on that. The department has to give a report to the government, and based on the recommendation made, we will take a decision," Parameshwara told reporters here in response to a question.
Since Rao claimed the circulating videos were fake AI creations, they were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), the minister said in response to a question.
"A team was formed in the department to find the truth. They have submitted a report to the department. The department will have to inform the government about the same, based on which further action will be taken," he added.
The state government had formed a team of four IPS officers, led by R Hitendra, Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order), to conduct a preliminary inquiry in the case.
The government in January suspended Rao, the 1993-batch IPS officer serving as the DGP, Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE), after viral videos purportedly showing him acting in an obscene manner surfaced.
The videos purportedly show the 59-year-old hugging and kissing women while in office. He was wearing a police uniform in a few videos. Rao had, however, called the videos "fabricated" and vowed to take legal action.
There were even reports that the videos were shot in 2016-17 inside the office of the Inspector General of Police - Belagavi range.
