Woman Who Entered Sabarimala Injured in Attack by Mother-In-Law

After returning home on Monday, Kanakadurga sustained a head injury when she was hit with a wooden plank.

New Delhi: Kanakurga, one of the two women of menstrual age who made history by entering the Sabarimala temple after the Supreme Court’s historic judgment, was attacked by relatives after she returned home on Monday.

Kanakadurga, a 39-year-old civil servant, entered the temple on January 2 and was forced to go into hiding after facing threats from right-wing protestors. According to The News Minute, she was attacked by her mother in law and sustained a head injury. She has been admitted to a hospital in Malappuram district.

Kanakadurga’s mother-in-law apparently refused to let her inside the house. After the former walked into the house, a verbal scuffle broke out. “The mother-in-law then beat her with a wooden plank on her head. The police, who were in the vicinity to ensure Kanakadurga’s safety, immediately rushed her to the hospital,” reported The News Minute. Local police recorded Kanakadurga’s statement.

Local media reports said that Kanakadurga’s mother-in-law was also admitted to a hospital with minor injuries.

Kanakadurga said in an interview that her family would not have allowed her to enter the temple. Reports also said that her husband filed a missing person case after he and his family were apparently not allowed to contact her.

She and Bindu Ammini, a 40-year-old law lecturer at Kerala’s Kannur University, went into hiding after entering the hill shrine. This was prompted by a day-long hartal by Hindu and right-wing groups against their entry. Several instances of violence – including bombs being hurled at politicians’ houses – were reported during and after the hartal. Several CPI(M) and BJP workers were injured in clashes.

Speaking from an undisclosed location near Kochi, the women said they threatened by protesters but reiterated faith in the authorities to keep them safe.

“I always say that I trust the police persons, the state government of Kerala and also our democratic society of Kerala,” Bindu had said.