Daijiworld Media Network - Madikeri (SP)

Madikeri, Jan 4: Two women, Bindu and Kanakadurga, who had entered Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala on January 2, had stayed at a lodge at Virajpet in Kodagu district with the support of Kerala police, it has transpired. The two women had not been following any austerities Ayyappa devotees are expected to follow, and wearing colour dress. Only at the time of leaving the lodge, they were seen wearing black clothes, CCTV records have revealed.

This has confirmed reports that Kerala government had used their police to send these women into the shrine in a systematic manner. The police had kept them in this lodge in view of security concerns, as it is only a few hours’ drive from Virajpet to Sabarimala.

Screen grab from CCTV footage

The lodge owner said that the Kerala police had brought the two women to the lodge and they had also taken the women back. He confirmed that the women were not following any austerities.

Bindu happens to be an activist for Dalit rights. She is a resident of Kozhikode and lecturer by profession. Kanakadurga from Malappuram is a contract employee of public distribution system of Kerala government. The two had arrived with police escort together at Virajpet where a room was hired in Bindu's name at 2 pm on December 29. The two did not venture out of their rooms for two days, and ordered food to be delivered in their rooms. They vacated their room and left the lodge at 10.28 am on December 31 in black clothes, CCTV footage revealed.

It may be recalled that visit of the temple by these two women gave rise to protests, disturbances and violence all over Kerala.