Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday confirmed that two women, in the barred age group, have entered the Lord Ayyappa Shrine in Sabarimala early morning on Wednesday. The police have also confirmed the news.
READ: Sabarimala: Two women below 50 years of age enter temple?
DGP Loknath Behra on Wednesday said that he has asked for CCTV footages to be submitted for further examination. The development comes hours after lakhs of women in Kerala stood should-to-shoulder across the national highways, creating a 620 km-long human 'wall' from the northern end of Kasaragod to the southern tip here on Tuesday as part of a state-sponsored initiative to uphold gender equality.
According to early reports, two women Bindu and Kanakadurga had successfully completed their trek and worshipped the deity inside the temple. It is yet to confirmed if the women are in the barred age group; however, they claim they are below 50 years of age.
The women claimed that Kerala police had ensured their security en route to Sabarimala on Wednesday. Bindu claimed that they entered the temple via the VIP area and did not take the traditional 'pathinettam padi' (holy steps leading to sanctum sanctorum).
This is the second time that both the women attempted visiting the Sabarimala hill shrine. Their first attempt was abandoned after protests from Ayyappa devotees.
Reportedly, the police ensured that the women's trek was carried out in a discreet manner. The Travancore Devaswom Board, the administrating board of the Sabarimala temple, however, claimed ignorant of the development.
Women in the menstrual age group of 10 to 50 years were traditionally barred from visiting the Sabarimala temple. However, the Supreme Court had on September 28 reversed the verdict. This had led to widespread protests across Kerala.
