Senior Kerala BJP leader Surendran detained

Nilackal (Kerala)  : Senior Kerala BJP leader K. Surendran, who arrived along with seven party leaders and tried to break the police cordon in a bid to go to the Sabarimala temple, was taken into custody by the police on Saturday night at Nilackal.

"You cannot prevent me from going to the Sabarimala temple, as I have already registered for pujas. You can stop me only if you open fire and you are free to do so," an angry Surendran told the police led by Superintend of Police Yatish Chandra.

Surendran is the party general secretary. When the police team told him that he cannot go towards the Pamba base camp and to the temple at night, he resisted and was taken into custody. He was driven to the Chittar police station, near Nilackal.

The police have kept him under detention for 24 hours.

According to the new police rules that came into effect from Friday, no pilgrim is allowed to proceed to the temple after 7 p.m. as the temple closes for the day at 10 p.m.

The Sabarimala temple opened its doors at 5 p.m. on Friday for two months.

The temple town has witnessed protests by Hindu groups since the September 28 when the Supreme Court allowed women of all ages to enter the temple that hitherto banned girls and women aged between 10 and 50.

The apex court this week refused to stay its earlier verdict.

Surendran and his party have been up in arms against the Pinarayi Vijayan government, which according to them, is determined to see that a woman in the hitherto "banned" age group is allowed 'darshan' at the temple and they have vowed that the temple traditions will not be breached.