Two women prevented from climbing Sabarimala hills

Amid high drama, the devotees, up in arms against implementation of the Supreme Court order lifting ban on entry of women in 10-50 age group, chanting Ayyappa mantras blocked the six, all Telugu-speaking women, from reaching the famed shrine.

State police chief Loknath Behera said the police will conduct a review of the alleged police lapses while handling the issues related to Sabarimala after the doors of the shrine close on Monday. 

On Sunday, a 47-year old woman reached up to the ‘Nadappandhal’ close to the sanctum sanctorum, but was prevented by the devotees chanting “Swamiye Saranam Ayyapa” while five others were stopped enroute to the hills.

The woman, who complained of uneasiness, was brought to a hospital here by the police.  

 A elderly woman devotee who was present at the spot said as the identity card of the woman showed she was born in 1971 and had not attained the ‘permissible age”, the other devotees started chanting Sarana mantra. 

Earlier, the protesters prevented two women, in their 40s, at the foothills itself. The women were accompanied by their relatives.