Woman Who Entered Sabarimala Temple Attacked by Mother-in-Law

Kanakadurga’s mother-in-law beat her with a wooden plank after she returned from her visit to Sabarimala temple.

File photo of Kanakadurga.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

Civil supplies employee Kanakadurga (39), one of the two women who entered Sabarimala temple on 2 January, has been attacked by her mother-in-law upon her return home.

She sustained a head injury. She is currently undergoing further examination at a hospital in Perinthalmana.

According to Kanakadurga’s friend, when she reached home on Tuesday morning, her mother-in-law refused to let her inside the house. Nevertheless, she walked inside, which led to a verbal scuffle between the two.

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.

“There was a verbal fight between Kanaka and her mother-in-law as the latter opposed Kanaka coming back to home. She has been admitted to hospital and the Sub Inspector is recording her statement.”

Perinthalmana police told TNM

Speaking to TNM, Johnson, one of the men who helped Kanakadurga find houses to stay in, said, “Her mother-in-law was against her going to the temple. So when she was back home she didn't allow her to enter the house and beat her with a wood rod. Kanaka is admitted to a hospital in Perinthalmanna. She was haemorrhaging.”

Another friend added, “Her mother-in-law is a conservative woman. She was not in favour of Kanakadurga entering Sabarimala temple.”

Mathrubhumi reports that Kanakadurga's mother, too, has been hospitalised with minor injuries as reportedly Kanakadurga resisted the attack and in the ruckus, the mother-in-law was injured, according to her allegation.

Two Women Entered Sabarimala on 2 January

Bindu and Kanakadurga, the first women below 50 years to enter Sabarimala since the 27 September Supreme Court ruling allowing women to do so, had been living in various hidden locations ever since they entered the temple on 2 January.

In an interview to TNM last week, Kanakadurga had said that her family had no clue that she had left home to go to Sabarimala and they would have opposed if they had known.

Both Bindu and Kanakadurga had decided to go back to their homes two weeks after their Sabarimala entry as they believed the situation around them had calmed down.

They had said they were choosing to stay away in order to not exacerbate or fuel the tense and violent situation that followed.

Bharath Bhushan, the brother of Kanakadurga, had alleged there was a CPI(M) and Kerala police conspiracy behind the entry of Kanaka Durga and Bindu.

He had told The Times of India that the police did not allow Kanakadurga's husband and relatives to contact her for days and hid her in an unknown location after their first failed attempt to visit Sabarimala in December.

He also alleged that Kottayam SP Harishankar did not allow her family members to meet her despite repeated attempts.

(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute)