Chair thrown at lensman and manhandling of women devotees at Sabarimala

Pampa: Sabarimala remained tense on Tuesday with incidents of protests and manhandling of women devotees and mediapersons erupting in spite of strong police presence.

According to police, 200 unidentified people were booked in connection with the attack on a woman and her son hailing from Thrissur. Detailed FIRs will be registered after verifying the CCTV footage.

Scores of devotees shouted at Vishnu, the cameraman of a Malayalam TV news channel, as he was taking visuals of their protests. Some people hurled a plastic stool at the cameraman, who climbed up the sunshade of a building to take pictures.

They also threw a coconut, which devotees offer to the deity, at him. The police said no case was registered. Former BJP state president C.K. Padmanabhan said that he had not endorsed any violence and that the BJP was supporting only peaceful protest.

The protesters under Hindu Aikya Vedi leader R.V. Babu camped at Pampa and tried to stop two female journalists, who had come to file reports. Later, the mob was pacified by Mr Babu.

No woman had approached the police for police protection on Tuesday.

Anju, who wanted to trek to Sannidanam on Monday, was sent back home early on Tuesday. She told police that she was forced by her husband to come to Pampa with her two kids.

Though the temple was closed on Tuesday, the situation is volatile as the 41-day Mandalam season will begin later this month.