Temple turns fortress as Sabarimala set to open today
Jaikrishnan Nair | TNN | Nov 5, 2018, 02:39 ISTHighlights
- When the temple last opened on October 17 for five days, at least 12 women attempted darshan and all of them were prevented from doing so by protesters
- The temple’s sanctum sanctorum will be opened at 5pm for the ‘Chithira Aatta Visesham’ ritual
Sabarimala temple (file photo)NILACKAL: Sabarimala temple opens on Monday evening for a little more than 24 hours for special poojas amid unprecedented security measures, prompting BJP, Congress and several devotees’ organisations to complain that the temple has turned into a veritable fortress. This is the second time after Supreme Court verdict allowing women aged between 10 and 50 to pray at the hill-top shrine that the temple will be opened.
When the temple last opened on October 17 for five days, at least 12 women attempted darshan and all of them were prevented from doing so by protesters. In the crackdown that followed, 3,731 persons were arrested. Anticipating protests by right-wing organisations opposing the SC verdict, the LDF government has deployed around 2,300 police officers, including commandos, divided into six separate sectors,. Round-the-clock inspection of vehicles and mobile patrolling is being done.
The temple’s sanctum sanctorum will be opened at 5pm for the ‘Chithira Aatta Visesham’ ritual and pilgrims will be allowed to proceed towards the shrine only from noon after strict verification to ensure that they are bona fide devotees.
Prohibitory orders banning the assembly of four persons or more are in place at Elavumkal, Nilackal, Pamba and Sannidhanam till Tuesday midnight. Water cannons have been arranged to disperse unruly mobs if the need arises, and CCTV surveillance system has been beefed up. Police are planning to post 50 women police officers aged over 50 at Sannidhanam on Monday.
When the temple last opened on October 17 for five days, at least 12 women attempted darshan and all of them were prevented from doing so by protesters. In the crackdown that followed, 3,731 persons were arrested. Anticipating protests by right-wing organisations opposing the SC verdict, the LDF government has deployed around 2,300 police officers, including commandos, divided into six separate sectors,. Round-the-clock inspection of vehicles and mobile patrolling is being done.
The temple’s sanctum sanctorum will be opened at 5pm for the ‘Chithira Aatta Visesham’ ritual and pilgrims will be allowed to proceed towards the shrine only from noon after strict verification to ensure that they are bona fide devotees.
Prohibitory orders banning the assembly of four persons or more are in place at Elavumkal, Nilackal, Pamba and Sannidhanam till Tuesday midnight. Water cannons have been arranged to disperse unruly mobs if the need arises, and CCTV surveillance system has been beefed up. Police are planning to post 50 women police officers aged over 50 at Sannidhanam on Monday.
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