Sabarimala Karma Samiti activists with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other Sangh Parivar outfits staged massive demonstrations in various parts of the district to protest against the entry of two women of childbearing age into the Sabarimala temple on Wednesday. Though the protesters turned violent in several places, the police claimed they managed to bring the situation under control.
Traffic was stalled for nearly two hours on Kannur and Wayanad roads following the evening protests. Those who took part in the demonstration covering the city vandalised road dividers and flags of Communist Party of India (Marxist) in several places. Road dividers were uprooted by activists at Mananchira and on the new bus stand premises.
Woman injured
Though some of the activists tried to lock horns with local traders and asked them to down the shutters, the traders managed to resist it with the support of the police. There were also incidents of stone pelting in which a woman who came to watch a movie at a cinema in the city along with her two children was injured. She was later admitted to a private hospital in the city.
Some of the visual media journalists too were attacked by the protesters. Three journalists of Reporter TV were manhandled. The regional office of the channel was also attacked with stones.
The unexpected protests that culminated near the S.M. Street created a chaotic situation for many who were waiting to board city buses. Unexpected diversion of city and long-distance services too created wide confusion among commuters.
BJP leaders who addressed a district-level demonstration at Mananchira warned traders of severe consequences if they opened shops on Thursday defying the hartal call.
UDF march
Flaying the Left Democratic Front government’s stance on Sabarimala and the ‘move to hurt’ sentiments of Ayyappa devotees, United Democratic Front (UDF) activists took out a march to the Nadakkavu police station.
The protesters alleged that the government was deliberately disrupting the peace of the State by provoking true Ayyappa devotees and secretly facilitating the entry of women.
Clashes
There were stray incidents of clashes at Vadakara and Koyilandy. At Vadakara, protesters created stormy scenes as police deployment was poor.
The protesters vandalised boards and banners of pro-left organisations. At Koyilandy, police protection was given to the house of Bindu Hariharan, one of the women who entered the temple.
Activists attacked
A group of cultural activists were reportedly beaten up by members of the Sabarimala Karma Samiti when they gathered at Kidson Corner here on Wednesday evening to express solidarity with the two women who entered the Sabarimala temple. According to sources, the samiti activists were taking out a march when they attacked the dozen-odd cultural activists who raised slogans supporting the women’s entry. Even women were bashed up and some mediapersons too were manhandled. Later, the police intervened to bring the situation under control.
