Summary:
“My responsibility is to respect and support the faithful,”, he said adding that no rituals were stopped during the protest. Police could have easily dealt with them since they had fended off a bigger mob armed with stones and sticks two days ago. Protesters listened to him calmly, though some of them requested to take the women back with them. The Tanthri then directed the parikarmis (priests from other temples who assist main priests in pooja rituals) to climb down the 18 steps and stage a namajapa yajnam. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There were hardly 250 men in the group that blocked the police shielding the two women, a journalist and a central government employee at the Nadapanthal..