Kerala BJP general secretary Kadakampally Surendran was taken into “preventive custody” and removed from Nilakkal, a base camp, on Saturday night, hours after Hindu Aikya Vedi state president P Sasikala was detained by the police at Marakootam.
The police action triggered heavy protests across the state, with right-wing activists accusing the police of trying to stop “genuine devotees” but “willing to escort activists” to the Sabrimala temple. On Friday, Pune-based activist Trupti Desai was stopped by protesters at Kochi airport as she along with six other women reached Kerala to pray at the hill shrine.