After two women – a journalist and an activist – were forced to return from within 500 metres of the Sabarimala temple, Inspector general of police S Sreejith termed the event as a “ritualistic disaster”.
He said although protection was extended to the women, ‘darshan’ was possible only with consent of priest.
“It’s a ritualistic disaster. We took them up to temple and gave them protection but ‘darshan’ is something which can be done with consent of priest. We will give them (journalist Kavitha Jakkal and woman activist Rehana Fatima) whatever protection they want,” Sreejith told news agency ANI.
“We had brought them till temple premises but the tantri and the priest refused to open the temple for them. While we were waiting, the tantri informed me that if we attempt to take the women ahead they would close the temple, Kerala IG further said.
The women took the decision to return back after the Tantri (priest) conveyed to the police that they would stop the rituals and close the doors of the shrine if the two women attempted to enter the temple.
The IG had earlier conveyed to the protesters that the police will not go back on implementation of the Supreme Court ruling. Even as he told that he had no problem with the protest on the woman devotees, he made it clear that women have the right to enter the temple.
Kavitha Jakkal of Hyderabad based Mojo TV and woman activist Rehana Fatima, started the journey at 6.50 am amid heavy rain under heavy police protection from Pambha, the base of the hilltop temple.
The two women were escorted by about 300 policemen in riot gear.