Trivandrum, India: Police in the southern Indian state of Kerala have arrested a total of 2,061 people so far, while cases have been registered against another 452 for protesting against the entry of women aged between 10-50 years into the Sabrimala Temple.
A number of protests were staged after the doors of Lord Ayyappa's temple opened on October 17 for the first time after the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the holy shrine.
Entry of the females in the menstruating age-group was banned in the temple as Lord Ayyappa is considered to be a celibate; hence the temple authorities only allow girls aged below 10 and women aged over 50 into the shrine. However, there is no restriction on the entry of men.
Earlier, the police had issued a lookout notice for 210 people for their suspected involvement in instigating violence, manhandling journalists and devotees at Nilakkal, Pamba and Sabarimala last week during demonstrations. The notice has been sent to all district police chiefs.
A five-member constitutional bench of the apex court headed by the then Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra had delivered the verdict on September 28, 2018, allowing all women into Sabarimala.
However, not a single woman could enter the shrine owing to the widespread protests across the state. The temple closed down for the month on October 22 after it opened for five days as a monthly ritual in the Malayalam month of Thulam.