Summary:
The Congress said it would not join the strike but hold protest demonstrations across the state on Thursday. "The BJP-RSS are trying to create tension and destroy the peaceful atmosphere in Kerala for political gains. 'Antharashtriya Hindu Parishad' led by Pravin Togadia and the 'Sabarimala Samrakshana Samithi', an outfit of devotees, have called a 24-hour-long hartal starting midnight.The BJP and its NDA partners have backed a 12-hour 'hartal' called by Sabarimala Action Council to protest the police action against devotees. (Photo: AFP)Unfazed by the unfolding violence, Madhavi, a gutsy woman from Andhra Pradesh in her 40s, tried to climb the Sabarimala hills to reach the Lord Ayyappa temple but was forced to return to Pamba, menaced by agitated male devotees.Liby, a woman from Kerala's Alappuzha , also in the "banned" age group, was prevented from proceeding to Sabarimala at Pathanamthitta bus terminal. "No girl or woman in the age group of 10 and 50 has visited Sannidhanam (the temple complex) so far," a senior official of the Travancore Devaswom Board, the body which manages the shrine, told PTI wishing not to be named.The shrine will remain open for the 5-day monthly pooja during the Malayalam month of Thulam before being closed on October 22.The Pathanamthitta district authority has promulgated prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC banning assembly of four or more people in strife-torn Pamba and Nilackal following Wednesday's violence and a strike called by right wing outfits..