Sabarimala: Kerala Cops Stop 12-year-old Girl From Trekking to Lord Ayyappa’s Shrine

Notably, police checked the minor's proof of age before stopping her from going to the temple.

Thiruvananthapuram: A 12-year-old girl, who had come along with her father and relatives to offer prayers at Sabarimala temple, was Tuesday stopped from trekking to Lord Ayyappa’s shrine.

Notably, police checked the age proof of the minor girl before stopping her from going to the temple.

Prior to that, 10 women from Andhra Pradesh were stopped from trekking to the hill shrine. Though, later District Collector of Pathanamthitta issued a clarification saying that the decision to go back was solely of the women in question.

The Supreme Court had in 2018 lifted the age-old barrier by permitting the entry of women of menstruating age to Sabarimala shrine. The issue has since been mired in controversy with many creating ruckus over the entry of women and staging protest at the site.

Kerala: Police stops a 12-year-old girl from trekking to #Sabarimala temple, after checking her proof of age. She along with her father and relatives came to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/Mp8Vmx2EIw

— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2019

While hearing the review pleas on its verdict last Thursday, the top court referred the review petitions to a larger bench, while maintaining that it will not stay the September 28, 2018 order that allowed women of age bars to enter the temple.

Unlike last year when women devotees were provided security, this time, the Kerala government has made it clear that it will not make any effort to see that women were taken to the temple to pray.

Meanwhile, on November 17, State President of Bharatiya Janata Party Kerala, V Muraleedharan, mounted a scathing attack on those visiting Sabarimala temple. He branded the visiting devotees as urban Naxals, anarchists and theists. He added that a probe needed to be ordered to examine the veracity of the devotees.