A female news reporter working for The News Minute, Sairtha S Balan, was attacked by an anti-woman mob Sabarimala protesters. The journalist was covering the protests that erupted in Kerala by those opposing the entry of women to the Ayyapan temple, a ban that was lifted by the Supreme Court a few weeks ago.

The protestors threw stones and hit the journalist’s back and chased her, hurling abuses at her throughout.

“The people there are pelting stones and breaking police windows. The police people somehow managed to keep me under their car’s seat. Some managed to take me to the police station. I am wearing jeans and a shirt now so it is visible that I am a journalist. I was trying to show my id card and show that I’m a journalist to the crowd. Many recognised me and told the mob that I’m from the media but they weren’t ready to listen to me. At least 200-300 people followed me when I was in the police vehicle. I have never been subjected to such an abuse in my career,” she narrated her ordeal.

https://www.facebook.com/TheNewsMinute/videos/1794287367346339/?notif_id=1539759125886445&notif_t=live_video

Riots have been breaking out near Sabarimala with many protesting women between the age of 10-50 from entering the temple, citing them to be impure. Hundreds of policemen have been posted around the temple after devotees backing the ban screened buses and women were pushed, manhandled and violently turned away from the base camp at Nilakkal, around 20 km from the temple on Tuesday.

Activist Rahul Easwer, two days after the Supreme Court verdict, said that women (between the ages of 10 and 50) would enter Sabarimala only by stamping on the chests of devotees and protests would be organised against their entry across the state. He had also asked male devotees to be ready to lie down in protest.

Journalist Dhanya Rajendran, too, questioned what Rahul Easwer seems to have ignited.

I spoke to @Sarithasbalan and @PoojaPrasanna4..both attacked. I want @RahulEaswar and all the others to answer. Is this your protest? Saritha was abused with the worst kind of abuses. Is this how a devotee behaves?

— Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) October 17, 2018

As of now, with violence erupting, several women have been physically manhandled and abused, with the police and others trying to shield them. Libi CS, another journalist, vowed to trek the hill to enter the temple. However, owing to the protests, she had to be shielded by the police and taken to a safe spot. The protestors threatened to burn the bus that brought her to the base camp if she continued her trek.

Here are some visuals of the ongoing violence in Kerala.

Nilakkal: A woman Madhavi on her way to #SabarimalaTemple returned mid-way along with her relatives after facing protests. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/OUCbOqa1aO

— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2018

Pamba: Police detain people protesting against the entry of women in the age group of 10-50 women to Kerala’s #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/DLdoYMVz8J

— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2018

#WATCH: Women protest in Nilakkal against the entry of women in the age group of 10-50 to #Sabarimala temple. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/GuxDZo0R7G

— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2018