india

Updated: Dec 18, 2018 14:00 IST

A day after they were blocked while proceeding to Sabarimala temple, Kerala Police Monday allowed four transwomen to trek to the hill shrine. Police took the decision after consulting with the tantri (supreme priest of the temple) and the high court-appointed three-member panel.

The four identified as Triputhi, Avantika, Ranjumol and their leader Ananya were stopped at Erumeli police station, citing law and order problems, and later they approached state police chief Loknath Behra and the HC-appointed panel.

“We will go in sari only. Police have promised us enough security,” said Ananya. Many right-wing outfits have made it clear that they don’t have any problem with the third sex. Earlier, four alleged that police threatened them and asked to come in men’s dress if they wanted to trek to the temple. But later, Kottayam superintendent of police S Harishankar denied this, saying police needed more clarity to allow them to the shrine.

Meanwhile, Nair Service Society (NSS), a socio-cultural outfit of upper caste Nair community, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s ‘arrogance’ led to the present impasse in Sabarimala. “He is behaving like a party secretary, not as the CM. The NSS is only concerned about the age-old belief of pilgrims, it is committed to protect them,” he said, adding, his outfit took a consistent stand from 2005 when the case came up before the Supreme Court.

He said the government-sponsored “women wall” on January 1 was sectarian in nature and it will create more wedge between different communities. “This wall is against Sabarimala temple but we will not instruct people not to attend it,” he said, adding, he expected a favourable decision from the SC when it will take up a bunch of review petitions, against its verdict, on January 22.

Meanwhile, police arrested activist and leader of Ayyappa Dharma Sena Rahul Eswar in Palakkad for flouting bail norms.

A court in Pathanamthitta had cancelled his bail after he failed to appear in Ranni police station on Saturday, one of the bail conditions. He was arrested in connection with violent incidents at Pambha base camp on October 17 and released on bail after two weeks under strict provisions.