Violence, havoc as Kerala burns over Sabarimala

A dawn-to-dusk 12-hour hartal called by Hindu outfits and BJP began Thursday morning in protest against the entry of two women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala.

Protestors turned violent at many places and attacked shops and buses. Kerala State RTC stopped services as around 50 buses were damaged by the protestors.

Some auto-rickshaws and two-wheelers were plying at the railway station in the state capital.

In Kozhikode, protesters blocked vehicles and burnt tyres in the morning.

The hartal, which began at 6 am, has been called by Sabarimala Karma Samithi, an umbrella organisation of various pro-Hindutva groups, spearheading protests against the Supreme Court's September 28 verdict, and Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP).

The BJP is supporting the shutdown while the Congress-led UDF is observing a "black day" on Thursday.

Two women, Kanakadurga (44) and Bindu (42), created history be stepping into the hallowed precincts guarded by police three months after the Supreme Court's historic judgement lifting the ban on entry of girls and women between 10 and 50 years of age into the shrine of Lord Ayyappa, its "eternally celibate" deity.

As the news spread like wildfire from the hill shrine, protests erupted at several places, with Hindu right-wing activists blocking highways and forcing the closure of shops and markets.

BJP and CPI(M) workers clashed in front of the Secretariat for over five hours Wednesday as police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse them.

A 55-year-old man, who was seriously injured in stone throwing at Pandalam, died late Wednesday night.

Merchants' organisations have said they would not cooperate with the hartal and keep shops and business establishments open.

Meanwhile, state DGP Loknath Behara has warned of strict action against those indulging in violence during the hartal.

Various universities, including Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi, Calicut and Kannur have postponed their examinations scheduled for Thursday.

Read also:

Two women enter Sabarimala; temple 'purified'
Sabarimala; Police provided security to women: Pinarayi
Sabarimala: CPM fights faith vs Constitution battle
11 Sabarimala-bound women chased away
Sabarimala: Tension on arrival of 50-member women group
4 transgenders offer prayers at Sabarimala temple
Opinion | When history repeats in Sabarimala wrangle