A dramatic second day of unrest at Sabarimala on Friday saw at least three women of the restricted age group attempt to trek to the Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala amidst tight security and strong protests from devotees.
The situation deteriorated to such an extent that in an unusual gesture, the Tantri (high priest) went public with an appeal to the women in the age group of 10 to 50 year not to do anything that violated rituals, traditions, peace and harmony.
‘Tantri helpless’
Speaking live to various channels, Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, said he was helpless and had no option but to close the sanctum sanctarum and withdraw himself from priestly duties in case of defilement. He urged women of the procreative age group to keep away while maintaining that he had “all respects for the Supreme Court order.”
On September 27, the court had ordered that the temple be thrown open for women of all ages.
Inspector General of Police S Sreejith, who had escorted the first two women, had, while trying to pacify the devotees, said that the police, most of whom are devotees themselves, had to obey the rules and comply with the Supreme Court order.
The trek of the first two women, a journalist from Andhra Pradesh and a Muslim from Ernakulam, ended some distance away from the holy steps that lead to the sanctum sanctorum as devotees offered strong resistance.
Even as the women started the climb downhill, news from the base camp said a Christian woman from Thiruvananthapuram was beginning to lunch herself onto the pilgrim trek.
The police initially conveyed to her the prevailing turmoil and said she could proceed but without police security. But, later she was taken to the police control room and was advised against ‘inflaming passions further.’
‘Deliberate attempts’
In between, Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the government did not intend to provide security to ‘activists’ on the trek. Only bonafide devotees will be allowed to undertake it under security.
The police should have checked the antecedents of the those who showed up as pilgrims. According to the minister, there were deliberate attempts to escalate tension.
Earlier in the day, Director General of Police Loknath Behera called on Governor P Sathasivam and apprised him of the situation in Sabarimala.
Meanwhile, latest reports said the Travancore Devaswom Board, the temple administrator, would apprise the Supreme Court of the ‘grave situation’ prevailing in Sabarimala.