Third woman enters Sabarimala; protests continue in Kerala

Dubai: Even as the Indian city of Kerala reeled with protests after two women entered the Sabarimala shrine, a third is now reported to have entered the temple.

The 46-year-old Sri Lankan national, who was identified as Sasikala by Indian media reports, can be seen entering the temple in a CCTV footage released by police sources.

While speaking to the media after returning from the temple, the woman apparently told reporters she had been denied entry. The footage released later showed that the woman had entered the temple.

In September, 2018, India’s Supreme Court ordered the end of a ban on women between 10-50 years of age from entering the shrine.

According to news agency IANS, police have stepped up security for Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Vijayan has been supporting the Supreme Court decision.

On Thursday, the pilot vehicle of Vijayan’s entourage hit two Congress workers waving black flags. IANS quoted the chief of the police intelligence wing, T.K. Vinodkumar, saying that additional precautions had been taken in the security provided to the Chief Minister.