Peace has returned to most of Kerala, where violence erupted after two women of childbearing age entered the Sabarimala temple on Wednesday, although a ban on assemblies continues in parts of traditionally volatile Kannur in the north.
Director-general of police Loknath Behera has asked his force to act against anyone found spreading rumours or circulating communally sensitive material through social media.
Officers said the police would be watching out for any resurgence of violence till the Sabarimala pilgrimage season ends on January 14.
Some 5,397 people have been arrested in connection with the midweek violence, largely blamed on Sangh parivar activists opposing the state government’s efforts to enforce a Supreme Court judgment.
On September 28, the apex court had quashed the traditional ban on women of childbearing age visiting the shrine but parivar-led mobs had till Wednesday prevented any woman aged 10 to 50 years from entering it.
Officers said that 1,772 cases of rioting and destruction of public and private property had been filed and that those arrested are among 38,000 rioters identified with the help of video footage. Of those arrested, 731 have been remanded in jail custody while 4,666 have been granted bail.
Among those in custody is local CPM politician Athul Das, who allegedly threw a stone at a place of worship in Perambra, Kozhikode, on Thursday during a clash. CPM leaders had on Friday met religious authorities to explain the act had been unintentional.
Das has been booked on the charges of rioting and creating enmity between communities. Behera had ordered district police chiefs to arrest anyone from any political party found disturbing the peace.
The state government is considering action against the Sabarimala head priest or tantri, Kandararu Rajeevaru, for closing the temple for an hour and conducting “purification” rituals after Wednesday’s visit by two women in their early 40s.
“What the tantri did was in contempt of the Supreme Court judgment and also violated the laws against untouchability,” said Kadakampally Surendran, minister in charge of temple governance.
“He had no right to take a unilateral decision without prior approval from the Devaswom Board (a government-appointed panel that oversees various temples).”
The government has already sought an explanation from the tantri, whose act of closing the temple for an hour inconvenienced the thousands of devotees waiting in already long queues to enter the temple.
Pilgrims killed
Ten Sabarimala pilgrims from Telangana died near Thirumayam town in Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu after their vehicle collided head-on with a lorry on Sunday afternoon, police said, adds PTI.
