The Kerala High Court on Friday granted bail to activist Rahul Easwar, who was arrested on Monday for defying bail conditions imposed in a case related to the violence that broke out at Sabarimala temple in October, PTI reported.
Easwar, the president of the Ayyappa Dharma Sena, was first arrested in Pamba on October 17 after he protested against the Supreme Court’s order allowing woman of all ages entry to the Sabarimala temple. Prior to the verdict, women between the ages of 10 and 50 were prohibited from entering the temple. He was granted bail on October 22 on the condition that he reports to the Pathanamthitta police station every Saturday.
On December 15, a Kerala court revoked his bail after he failed to present himself at the police station on December 8. Easwar had said he would move the Human Rights Commission against the “childish and outrageous act by the police”. On December 17, he was arrested once again.
Justice Sunil Thomas on Friday asked the activist not to enter Pamba and to report at Pathanamthitta police station once every month.
Tensions have been running high in the state over the Supreme Court verdict. The temple had opened on November 16 for the third time since the Supreme Court on September 28 allowed women of all ages to enter the shrine. But so far, no woman between the ages of 10 and 50 has been able to enter the temple due to massive protests.
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