Chennai: Tension is escalating at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple with the priests (Tantris), including the Mel Santhi (chief priest), protesting in front of the sacred stairway (18 steps) to the sanctum sanctorum, to not allow two young women enter the temple.
Kerala IG Srijith is already tackling a protest by devotees to not allow the two women who are nearing the sanctum sanctorum to enter it. He said he would not use force to disperse the protesters as he does not believe that the temple is a place for clashes.
Two women, journalist Kavitha of Andhra Pradesh and another woman devotee, are nearing the sanctum sanctorum but protests are mounting against them.
According to the latest reports, the Kerala government has decided to send back the two women and not allow them to have darshan at the sannidanam.