NILACKAL: Tension prevailed at Kerala's Nilackal on Wednesday morning, the main gateway to Sabarimala, ahead of the hill shrine opening for monthly pooja at 5pm on Wednesday evening.Following a day-long obstruction and prevention of young women from getting past Nilackal on Tuesday, the police who were silent spectators swooped on protesters and arrested six persons after midnight in early hours of Wednesday.This happened when two Tamil vendors, including a woman, were prevented from going to Pamba. What appears to have aggravated the anger of the cops is the checking of the police van. It was after checking the video which showed the protestors getting into the van and checking it. Later, they dismantled the protest tent and chased away the people who had begun gathering in the morning.Caught unawares by the sudden development, there was not much presence of protestors visible at Nilackal before they started recouping in the form of BJP members. Around 500 police personnel in the area, including 100 women police battalion led by IG Manoj Abraham, ADGP-South zone Anil Kanth and Pathnamthitta SP P Narayanan, have been deployed.As of now, no women police have been deployed in the Sannidhanam yet.The state police chief has issued directions to range IGs and district police chiefs to initiate strict action against those who block traffic and conduct checking in vehicles heading for Sabarimala. They have taken over control of road to Sabarimala.Meanwhile, Save Sabarimala forum member Rahul Easwar claimed that he was stopped by police from going to Sabarimala at Nilackal along with his grandmother.Devaswom board president A Padmakumar said that there are no special facilities for women devotees yet.But anybody who comes to pray will be allowed inside, he saidDevotees and protestors have started coming to Nilackal from where devotees can board the KSRTC bus shuttle service. But Pathnamthitta district police SP BP Narayanan said that they will not allow any obstruction to entry into Sabarimala at Nilackal.Meanwhile, a high-level meeting is being convened by the Devaswom minister at Sannidhanam at 11am.All concerned department officials concerned with the Makaravilakku preparations will be present. This includes woman officials below 50.At present they are stationed at Pamba, officials said.The situation is turning tense. Tantri family said that they will sit in protest at Pamba. Prayer meeting is being planned by the family at Pamba.

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