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More than 600 people were arrested in the state of Kerala, south of India, during protests by Hindu conservative groups against the entry of two women into a Hindu temple, which had been authorized by the local government.
Protesters took to the streets of Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala, with the support of the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). local trade closed after Hindu groups called for a state shutdown. Most buses and taxis refused to carry pbadengers for fear of being attacked.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said women were the main target of protesters, including reporters covering the events.
In September, the Supreme Court of India ordered the lifting of the ban on women of the menstrual age to enter the Sabarimala Temple, which attracts thousands of believers each year.
The temple refused to abide by the decision and attempted visitors were blocked by the devotees.
Bindu Ammini, 42, and Kanaka Durga, 44, attempted to enter the temple in December and, a few weeks later, sought the badistance of the police.
In the early hours of Wednesday (2), the two women were escorted by the police to enter the temple by an invisible side entrance of the devotees.
The demonstrations then began. A police officer was badaulted and badaulted by five men in one of the nearby districts of Kochi, while a protester was shot dead in the south of the state, police said.
"We arrested more than 600 people in the fourth in Kochi and four other districts and left about 300 of them without preventive custody."
In this farm, protesters marched to and fro. 39 in the downtown area in protest. said Inspector General of Kochi Politics, Vijay Sakhare.
"Some protesters may become violent and throw stones or block streets, and we are armed with tear gas and water cannons."
The state of Kerala is ruled by right-wing parties and seeks to allow women to enter. in the temple, a position that led to the criticism of other Indian parties and Congress.
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