An angry mob protesting against the entry of women into Kerala's Sabarimala temple went on a rampage and attacked women and journalists covering the protests. Four women journalists from Republic TV, CNN News18, Aaj Tak and the News Minute were heckled, slapped and stones thrown at the vehicles they were travelling in.  

Pooja Prasanna of Republic TV, the News Minute's Saritha Balan and CNN-News18's reporter Radhika Ramaswamy were surrounded by angry protesters, who vanadlised the vehicle.The mob repeatedly beat against the windows as Radhika and her crew were trapped inside.


Around 50 people chanting Ayyappa slogans surrounded the vehicles the reporters were travelling in aggressively punched and banged the car's windshields and windows, in an attempt to break them. Republic TV sais their reporter's car's rear bumper and rear windshield were both broken in the attack.


The channel also reported that the journalist and the rest of the camera crew were attacked and slapped by the mob after they stepped out of the car.  The crew's equipment was also snatched by the protesters.


The News Minute's Saritha Balan was violently attacked in Nilakkal. CNN-News18's crew and reporter Radhika Ramaswamy surrounded by angry protesters, who vanadlised the vehicle.The mob repeatedly beat against the windows as Radhika and her crew were trapped inside.


Nilakkal, which is 20 kilometres from Sabarimala, is the only route to reach Pamba, a reason why protest groups camped here to ensure that women did not enter. The police removed the tent set up by the devotee group under the name of Sabarimala Samrakshana Samiti. Another protest tent set up by the Congress at Nilakkal has been left as it is.


IMAGE: Women protesters check Sabarimala bound vehicles at Nilakkal to ensure that no women in the age group between 10 and 50 are going to Lord Ayyappa temple in dense forests at Sabarimala. Photograph: PTI