‘Don’t block devotees, return in 6 hours’: Kerala cops let KP Sasikala visit Sabarimala

Earlier this week, Sasikala was denied entry into the temple and taken into preventive custody by the police for defying prohibitory orders.
‘Don’t block devotees, return in 6 hours’: Kerala cops let KP Sasikala visit Sabarimala
‘Don’t block devotees, return in 6 hours’: Kerala cops let KP Sasikala visit Sabarimala
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Kerala police on Monday morning let the president of the Hindu Aikya Vedi, KP Sasikala, visit Sabarimala for her grandson’s ‘choroottu’ (rice feeding ceremony). She has been ordered to return from the temple within 6 hours. The controversial right-wing leader was denied entry into the temple on Saturday and was taken into preventive custody by the police after she protested for 5 hours demanding entry into the temple.

SP Yatish Chandra, who is in charge at Sabarimala, granted her permission after getting the leader to sign on a notice which laid down the conditions of her visit. According to the notice, Sasikala has been instructed not to organise group prayers or block other devotees visiting the temple. She has been asked to return within 6 hours and comply with the instructions of officers at the Sannidhanam. The orders have been specified in the written notice which the police made Sasikala sign at Nilakkal.

On Saturday, Sasikala was taken into preventive custody at 1.30 am after she defied police orders by refusing to leave Pamba without visiting the temple. After five hours of sitting in and protesting to go to the temple, she was taken into custody and sent to Ranni police station.

Though Sasikala had approached the police by telling them that she wanted to visit the temple as she was a devotee and was above 50 years of age, police suspected that she wanted to be near the temple only to organise protests. When the temple had opened twice after the Supreme Court's ruling, KP Sasikala had been near the temple organising protests against the verdict on women's entry and even checking documents of women who planned to visit the temple. Police are looking to prevent that scenario from occurring again.

Sasikala was let off on bail on the same day by the Thiruvalla Sun Divisional Magistrate Court after which she had said that she would visit the temple again.

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