Sabrimala row: Two women won’t enter temple amid priests' threats

The temple priests threatened that rituals will be stopped if they entered the shrine.

Two women who were to enter the Sabarimala temple with 300 policemen escorting them had to return back after temple priests threatened the rituals will be stopped if they entered the shrine. 

Kerala: Journalist Kavitha Jakkal of Hyderabad based Mojo TV and woman activist Rehana Fatima are now returning from Sabarimala. Kerala IG says "We have told the female devotees about the situation, they will now be going back. So we are pulling pack. They have decided to return" pic.twitter.com/IO9TwcEj5V
— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018

Updates from earlier today

Kavita, the Hyderabad-based journalist and her four-member crew along with the other woman devotee from Kochi were surrounded by 80 policemen while the rest 20 were walking ahead of them, clearing the way.

#Kerala: Journalist Kavitha Jakkal of Hyderabad based Mojo TV, being escorted by police from Pamba to Sannidhanam. #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/6lwDGStDTw
- ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018

The trek from Pamba to the temple located at a hillock generally takes around two hours. Led by Inspector General of Police S.Sreejith, they started their climb around 6.45 am. 

According to the police, the two ladies have another 1.5 km to reach the hallowed sanctum santorum of the shrine.

Along the route, a protesting devotee jumped in front of the police cordon but he was removed.

An angry group of devotees are however, grouped at the entrance of the pathway that leads to the temple.

Meanwhile, the temple family and members of the Pandalam royal family are considering closing down of the temple in order to stop the women from entering, according to informed sources.

The temple opened its doors on Wednesday for the first time since the September 28 Supreme Court verdict that allowed women from the 10-50 age group to enter the famed shrine.

• India