Yesterday the Sabarimala opened amid huge protests and clashes between the police and the protesters.
Let’s take a look at all that took place.
What started out as peaceful protests and reporting soon turned ugly as the protesters took it upon themselves to stop the women aged from 10-50 from entering the temple.
In the clash that took place, around 10-14 KSRTC buses have been damaged while private vehicles have been stopped.
The police chased the protesters to the forests who retaliated by hurling stones at them.
Madhavi, a 45-year-old from Andhra Pradesh was the 1st woman to trek the Sabarimala hills only to be stopped by Ayappa Dharma Sena.
Reporters who were covering the incident were attacked. Two reporters — one from The News Minute and one from the Republic TV — were attacked by mobs while covering the protests near Sabarimala. Republic TV said its reporter Pooja Prasanna was surrounded by a 100-strong mob. Saritha S Balan of The News Minute was “kicked on her spine” by a protestor.
NDTV reporter Sneha Mary Koshy and cameraperson SP Babu were stopped from covering the protests midway. Their camera was snatched and they were asked to leave. The crew from CNN-News 18 and Aaj Tak was also attacked.
Activist Rahul Easwar was arrested and a First Information Report has been filed against him under non-bailable sections. Apologising for the attack on journalists, Rahul Easwar said, “I didn’t hit any woman… I was moving to the other direction. It’s a vendetta against me”.
While the government has assured that the KSRTC buses will be functioning, the people however has stopped the buses and hurled stones at it.
The police too have promised protection to the women devotees.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said his government will not give in to attempts to prevent women from entering the temple and police will help uphold the Supreme Court order. The BJP and the Congress have demanded a review of the court order.
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