Sabarimala: Protesters block two women at Neelimala

Pampa: Two young women pilgrims to Sabarimala, Reshma Nishanth, 30, and Shanila Sajesh, 28, were forced to trek down by the police and protesters after a three-and-half-hour high voltage drama here early Wednesday morning.

Three protesters stopped them along with their seven male friends near Neelimala, a point in the traditional trekking path from Pampa, at 4.20 am. As the report spread, over 50 protesters, mainly non-Malayalis, thronged at the spot, blocking their movement. 

The women sat down on the trekking path asking the police for help to move ahead. Police refused and turned them back, saying the mob could become violent if they move forward. 

However, the women argued with police that they had undergone strict penance of 41 days and they came as absolute devotees. They insisted that they must have darshan. Ms Nishanth told reporters that it was a police lapse that made the situation tense. "There were only three protesters initially," she said. "Police restricted our journey so that more protesters could gather."

They said they wouldn't take off the holy beads wore as part of penance till they had a darshan of Lord Ayyappa. As the situation turned vicious, the policewomen took them forcibly to their vehicles. 

The violent mob started throwing broken coconut shells at the moving police vehicles. Many punched on windshields shouting at the women inside. The police took them to an undisclosed location. 

The women said the police had agreed to shield them before their journey took off. But, no officials confirmed this.  

Ms Prashant, a research fellow in Kerala's temple cultures, was among the first women below 50 who expressed desire of going to Sabarimala soon after the Supreme Court lifted age restrictions last year. 

She used to be active on social media seeking support for her cause. 

She was also in the centre of news when right-wing groups intimidated her offline and online for her attempt to worship there. 

They are also active members in a Facebook page Navodhana Keralam Sabarimalaikku (Renaissance Kerala towards Sabarimala) under the same banner Kanakadurga, Bindu Ammini and Manju broke the barriers earlier this month.

R. Aditya, superintendent of police, Pampa-in-charge, told DC that there was no lapse on their part. 

He said anyone could come and go and police bandobast was everywhere. Responding to women's claim of the promise of security, he said that allegation was baseless. Police initially held five protesters for obstructing them but took no serious step to disperse people mobbing them. 

Police seemed more restraint as the prohibitory order in Sabarimala and surrounding areas including Pampa was not extended, since the Makaravilakku festival got over on Monday.