Sabarimala Row: Social Activist Rahul Easwar Gets Bail

A non-bailable FIR was also registered against him for stopping women from entering the temple premises.

New Delhi: A local Kerala court on Monday granted bail to activist Rahul Easwar, who was arrested from Nilakkal base camp amid protests over the entry of women into the Sabarimala Temple. Easwar, the President of the Ayyappa Dharma Sena was taken into custody on October 17.

A non-bailable FIR was also registered against him for stopping women from entering the temple premises. “I didn’t hit any woman there. I was moving to the other direction. It’s a vendetta against me,” said Easwar had said after his arrest.

Last week, a footage of Rahul’s wife Deepa pleading for his release went viral. In the video, she said that no one knows why her husband was arrested.

Easwar was charged by Pamba police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including section 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 149 (member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecuting of common object of the assembly), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public serving from discharge of duty).

After the six-day monthly pooja, the Sabarimala temple doors will be closed on Monday. In these six days, the devotees have prevented 12 women of the “barred” age group from offering worship at the Lord Ayyappa temple despite the Supreme Court’s order lifting the ban on entry of women of age group 10 to 50.