Sabarimala row: Activist Rahul Easwar’s bail plea rejected

Kerala's Pathanamthitta court on Saturday rejected the bail plea of activist Rahul Easwar, who was arrested on Thursday amid protests over the entry of women into the Sabarimala Temple.

Easwar, who spearheaded a section of the protest in Sabarimala on Wednesday was earlier sent to 14 days judicial custody. He was arrested on October 17.

Rahul Easwar is currently lodged in Kottarakkara sub jail. He, along with 20 other protestors, were arrested on Wednesday from Nilakkal base camp at Sabarimala hill.

Rahul Easwar has been charged by Pamba police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including section 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), read with 149 (member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecuting of common object of the assembly), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public serving from discharge of duty).

Easwar is against the entry of women between the age of 10-50 to the Sabarimala Temple. This practice has been in place for centuries, but the Supreme Court had in September scrapped this.