Sabarimala: 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.
Police sources in Thiruvananthapuram, quoting DGP Loknath Behara, said details were being collected on the issue.
There are also reports that the temple has been shut following the development.
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 24 December 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 30 December for the Makaravilakku 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 ages 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.