South

Suhasini Raj managed to go past the Pamba gateway but was stopped midway by angry Sabarimala devotees

Over 12 hours after Sabarimala opened its doors to devotees including women of all age groups for the first time after a historic Supreme Court ruling permitting the entry, no woman from the "banned" age group has made it to the hilltop temple as yet.

The Airport Authority of India (southern region) planted over 40,000 saplings of herbal plants in 40 places, including 21 airports, as part of observing national ayurveda day on Wednesday.

The gates of Kerala's Sabarimala temple were opened this evening for the first time since the Supreme Court allowed women of all ages to enter the shrine. However, no woman from the "banned" age group - 10 to 50 years -- could make it to Lord Ayyappa's temple amid protests that turned violent during the day.

Kerala's Sabarimala temple opened its doors to women of all ages on Wednesday evening after much protest, violence and the final imposition of prohibitory orders that bans large gatherings. Through the day, protesters had been trying to enforce the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of reproductive age in the temple, which was scrapped by the Supreme Court last month. They combed buses, stopped women from going near the temple, attacked journalists, vandalised media vehicles and threw stones at the police. Kerala's CPM-led government has blamed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP's ideological mentor, for the violence.

Sabarimala temple is dedicated to Ayyappa, the God of growth. Prince Manikandan is considered an Avatar of Ayyappa. It is believed that he meditated at Sabarimala temple and became one with the divine.

The Centre has denied permission for the scheduled visit of Kerala ministers to 17 countries to mobilise funds from expatriates for flood relief work, officials said on Wednesday.

Armed, masked mobs today targeted women mediapersons who had gone to cover the protests near Kerala's Sabarimala temple. Four media organisations were targeted -- in some cases in presence of the police. Republic TV's Pooja Prasanna was beaten with sticks, Saritha S Balan from The News Minute was kicked on the spine. Midway through live telecast, NDTV was stopped from covering the protests -- reporter Sneha Mary Koshy and cameraperson SP Babu were heckled and asked to leave, their camera was snatched.

Two women doctors working with Kerala government attended a in a review meeting called by Kerala Devasom (temple affairs) minister Kadakampally Surendran on the Sabarimala shrine premises

A 40-year-old woman and her family were heckled and intimidated on Wednesday as they walked towards the Sabarimala temple, which opens this evening for the first time since the Supreme Court overturned a centuries-old ban on women of menstruating age -- 10 to 50 years -- entering the shrine. Madhavi, who is from Andhra Pradesh, began the climb to the hilltop shrine after reaching the base, Pamba, along with her children and parents. She had braved every obstacle in her way, with the police walking alongside.

Tribals living in the hills around Sabarimala alleged that the government and the Travancore Devaswom Board were trying to "demolish centuries-old customs" by allowing women between the ages of 10 and 50 to enter the famous Sabarimala temple.

Protests intensified around Kerala's famous Sabarimala temple as the shrine to Lord Ayappa got ready to open its doors to women of reproductive age following a Supreme Court order overturning the centuries-old ban. Crew from four media companies was attacked and two women, who had started the 7-km trek towards the hilltop shrine, had to turn back. Despite the heavy police presence along the route, devotees backing the ban screened buses and women were pushed, manhandled and violently turned away from the base camp at Nilakkal, around 20 km from the shrine.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Tuesday assured Rs one lakh farm loan waiver, besides increasing assistance under the Rytu Bandhu scheme to Rs 10,000 per annum from the current Rs 8,000 if the TRS was voted to power once again.

An event during the ongoing Dasara festivities in Mysuru turned into a nightmare for several women who complained of being stalked, sexually harassed and molested.

A person, who was injured during the anti-Sterlite protests in Thoothukudi district in May, died last night taking the number of dead in the incident to 14. Justine was in the coma for past five months.