Social activist Trupti Desai, who arrived in Kochi on Friday in a bid to take the Sabarimala pilgrimage in the wake of the recent Supreme Court order, said she did not wish to make law and order issues in the state. "Police have requested me to return to Pune," she told reporters.
The development comes even as the doors to the Lord Ayyappa temple opened for the 'Mandala Makkaravillakku' puja.
The activist, who reached in Kochi around 4.40am along with six young women en route to the hill temple, has been unable to come out of the airport, with the protesters saying her group would not be allowed to proceed to the Sabarimala temple.
The police said she would go back to Maharashtra tonight itself.
Also read
- Sabarimala gold theft: Amit Shah accuses Kerala's LDF of cover-up, demands action
- 'You didn't even spare God': Supreme Court's scathing remark in Sabarimala gold theft case
- High-profile arrest in Sabarimala gold scam: Ex-TDB chief A. Padmakumar in custody
- Sabarimala pilgrims asked to stay vigilant as brain-eating amoeba cases rise — check Karnataka government’s advisory here
- Kerala HC lambasts Travancore Devaswom Board over poor crowd management at Sabarimala
Rubbishing Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran's allegation that she had links with the BJP and Congress, Desai said she was not connected to any political party for the past five
years.
She said she was only with women. She, however, made it clear that she would come back during the ongoing pilgrimage season itself even if she returns today without taking the pilgrimage.
The police asked Desai to come with more preparations next time. Meanwhile, three women lawyers came out offering support to her.