First lady of menstrual age to enter Sabarimala temple thrashed by mother-in-law, hospitalized

Kanakadurga, the first lady in her menstrual age to enter Sabarimala temple, was hospitalised after being thrashed by her mother-in-law here on Tuesday.

The victim said she was hit around 10-12 times with a wooden stick by her mother-in-law as soon as she entered her residence here on Tuesday.

"I reached home at around 7-7.05 am in the morning. As soon as I entered the hall, my mother-in-law picked a wooden stick and started beating and abusing me," she alleged.

"I couldn't even stand properly after being hit. They dragged me out and closed the door. I have been hit on the head, face, and back. It is really painful. I can barely move," she said.

A case has been registered by Perinthalmanna police based on Kanakadurga's complaint under Sections 341 and 324 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against her mother-in-law.

On September 28 last year, the Supreme Court had lifted the ban on the entry of women aged between 10 and 50 years into the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala.

Nearly four months after the verdict, Bindu and Kanakadurga, both aged below 50, entered the Lord Ayyappa temple to offer prayers.

After their entry, a purification process took place in the temple, while violent protests broke out across the state with agitators pelting stones and blocking the national highways.

-ANI