A plan by 350 women activists to barge into the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra to break a 400-year-old tradition banning women from entering its sacred sanctum was today foiled by police when they were stopped at a village, 70 km from the shrine.
The moment the buses of activists under the banner of Bhumata Brigade reached Supa village, the volunteers led by its President Trupti Desai were disallowed from moving forward by scores of police personnel, who formed a ring to foil their march towards the famous temple.
Desai, who yesterday claimed her volunteers will climb down ladders from a helicopter to offer prayers at the ‘chauthara’ (platform) of Lord Shani temple if they are not allowed access, was detained and taken to Supa police station.
Urging the volunteers to remain firm on their stand, Desai said that they are launching a “satyagrah” on the spot and would not even drink water unless they are allowed to move forward.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Shani, the personification of planet Saturn, and women devotees are not permitted at the platform as per the tradition followed by the shrine.
Security has been tightened around the temple and nearby places even as Ahmednagar district administration and police authorities sealed all approaches to the shrine, which bars women from entering the platform where Lord Shani is worshipped.
All entry points to Ahmednagar witnessed heavy security cover with barricades and police personnel deployed at every nook and corner of the locality to prevent the activists from reaching the temple.
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