Sabarimala, November 6: A journalist was on Tuesday morning injured in clashes at Sabarimala after rumours of a woman below 50 years attempting to enter the temple.
On Monday, the doors to Ayyappa temple had opened for the second time in three weeks for a two-day special puja amid unprecedented security over apprehension of protests by those opposing the Supreme Court order allowing women of all age groups into the shrine.
Though no girl or woman in the age group of 10-50 years was spotted at the temple, the abode of Lord Ayyappa, its eternally celibate deity, police said a 30-year-old woman had reached the base camp at Pamba along with her husband and two kids.
However, the woman, Anju, a native of Cherthala in Alappuzha district, told police that she was not keen to visit the shrine and admitted that she had come to Pamba following pressure from her husband, Abilash.
Police claimed it was her husband, who was adamant that the family, including their children aged 7 and 4 years, undertake the pilgrimage.
Kerala police spoke in conflicting voices about the development with a local official claiming that the woman had sought police protection while the Superintendent of Police Rahul R Nair said the woman had not sought police escort.
As the husband continued to stick to his stand, police decided to ask their relatives to come to Pamba to take a final decision.
Anju and her family are waiting at the police control room as the temple closed its doors at 10 pm.
The temple will open again on Tuesday for the “Sree Chitira Atta Thirunal” puja to mark the birth anniversary of the last king of the princely state of Travancore Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. Agencies
