Sabarimala protests: Prohibitory orders imposed in Kerala's Palakkad town

Palakkad District Collector D Balamurali issued the order for Palakkad Town after considering the reports filed by various officials including the district police chief.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Palakkad town and Manjeswaram Taluk of Kasargod district in northern Kerala late Thursday night after widespread protest erupted over the entry of two women in their menstrual age in to Sabarimala temple.

Palakkad District Collector D Balamurali issued the order for Palakkad Town after considering the reports filed by various officials including the district police chief.

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"Prohibitory order has been imposed till 6 PM today after considering the tense situation prevailing in the town. We have called for an all-party meeting at 4 pm. Further decisions will be taken after that meeting," Balamurali told PTI.

Kasargod district Collector D Sajith Babu issued the prohibitory order at Manjeshwaram Taluk under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Prohibitory orders have been issued at 11 pm Thursday for 24 hours.

Section 144 of CrPC prohibits an assembly of more than four persons in an area.

Palakkad town witnessed widespread violence since Wednesday morning where the party offices of CPI(M), CPI and the BJP were attacked.

In the dawn-to-dusk hartal on Thursday called by the Sabarimala Karma Samiti, and supported by the BJP, the party offices of CPI and CPI(M) were vandalised.

Later in the evening, a march of Left Democratic Front turned violent with protesters attacking the BJP office.

Scores of vehicles were damaged in Palakkad town and shops were vandalised.

A day after two women- 42-year-old Bindu, a college lecturer and CPI(ML) activist from Kozhikode district's Koyilandy, and Kanakadurga, 44, a civil supplies department employee from Angadipuram in Malappuram, entered the Sabarimala shrine, Kerala witnessed violence and unrest across the state.

A dawn-to-dusk hartal or shutdown which began at 6 am on Thursday was mired with incidents of vandalism, clashes and stone pelting.

The hartal was called by the Sabarimala Karma Samithi, an umbrella organisation consisting of pro-Hindutva outfits and was supported by mainstream political parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

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Kerala police probes reports of two women entering Sabarimala temple

As per news reports, the women trekked to the hill shrine early Wednesday. A video showed them entering the shrine, wearing black clothes, with their heads covered.

The Kerala Police Wednesday was looking into media reports that two women in their forties had entered the Sabarimala temple early Wednesday, sources said.

According to TV channels, the two women, Kanakadurga, 42, and Bindu, 44, also claimed that they had entered the holy shrine of Lord Ayyappa. They made efforts to enter the shrine in December but had to return due to protests.

As per news reports, the women trekked to the hill shrine early Wednesday. The video showed them entering the shrine, wearing black clothes, with their heads covered.

The police sources in Thiruvananthapuram, quoting DGP Loknath Behara, said details were being collected on the issue.

Bindu, a college lecturer and CPI(ML) activist from Kozhikode district's Koyilandy, and Kanakadurga, a civil supplies employee from Angadipuram in Malappuram, had come to Sabarimala on December 24 after 11 women activists of a Chennai-based outfit were prevented from reaching the shrine and chased away by devotees chanting Ayyappa mantras.

The temple was opened on December 30 for the Makaravillaku festival and there has been a heavy rush of pilgrims.

Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President A Padmakumar said he had no information about the two women offering prayers at the temple.

TDB officials have been asked to view CCTV footage to verify their claim, he said.

The temple had witnessed protests from frenzied devotees over the entry of women in the 10-50 age group in the shrine after the CPI(M)-led LDF government decided to implement a Supreme Court order allowing women of all age to offer prayers there.

The main opposition Congress-led UDF and the BJP have been opposing the entry of young women, saying they are with the devotees.

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