Sabarimala temple shut for an hour for 'purification'

Sabarimala: Hours after two women visited Sabarimala Ayyappa temple and offered prayers earlier in the day, authorities on Wednesday shut down the temple for an hour for 'purification' rituals.

The two Keralite women, Bindu and Kanakadurga, who are in their 40s, entered the temple premises and offered prayers in the early morning hours on Wednesday. They were accompanied by police personnel.

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Social activist Trupti Desai, who herself tried to visit the Sabarimala temple in November last year, said that the Kerala government should now protect the two women, as their names have been revealed and there could be a threat to their lives.

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"Since the names of two women have come out now, I urge the (Kerala) government that they should protect them since there could be a threat to their lives now," Desai told

.

The two women had attempted to visit Sabarimala temple in December last year but failed amidst massive protests.

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Commenting on the matter, Kerala DGP Lokanath Behera said: "It is the responsibility of the police to give protection to those who come and we did it. Verifying the age and other details is not our responsibility. The top court had lifted a traditional ban on entry of women of menstrual age (10-50 years) on September 28 last year.

Despite the apex court's ruling on the matter, a string of protests took place at the Sabarimala temple and its surrounding areas in the state, wherein several womenattempted to visit the shrine, but were stopped by Lord Ayyappa devotees. (ANI)

• #Sabarimala temple
• #purification
• #Ayyappa temple
• #Keralite women
• #Trupti Desai