Desai's repeated attempts at entering the sanctum since May 19 have resulted in her drawing the ire of the devotees to the extent that some unknown persons hurled stones at her vehicle on Thursday, injuring one of her group members.
Devotees at the Kapaleshwara temple in Nashik have strongly opposed activist Trupti Desai's forceful entry into the sanctum sanctorum of the age-old temple, stating that even men are not allowed and the entry is not about gender. Only the designated priests are allowed in and even men take darshan from outside the sanctum, they said.
Desai's repeated attempts at entering the sanctum since May 19 have resulted in her drawing the ire of the devotees to the extent that some unknown persons hurled stones at her vehicle on Thursday, injuring one of her group members.
On May 19, Desai had attempted to enter the sanctum of the Kapaleshwar temple but the priests and devotees had objected to her breaking the tradition there. As the situation became increasingly tense, the police intervened. After an assurance from the police that she will be allowed to take darshan in the sanctum on May 26, Desai left the place.
Desai again came to Nashik on the evening of May 25 and, suddenly, around 11.30pm, she and her followers attempted to enter the temple at Ramkund. But she was obstructed by the devotees. The police intervened once again and issued her with a notice asking her not to disturb peace in the town.
But on May 26, Desai once again returned to the temple at 12 noon amidst strong police arrangement. However, she faced stronger opposition from women and devotes at the temple this time, with even slogans being raised against Desai. While the activist claimed that she and her group members were hurt in the din, the police said that they had successfully escorted her to safety.
The cops then took Desai to Sinnar Phata, which was on her way back to Pune, but from there, Desai came to Nashik again. She stayed at the government rest house in the evening. Then, late at night, on the pretext of having dinner, she left the rest house and suddenly returned to the temple premises. But she was stopped by the devotees once again, and while she was returning back to the rest house, her vehicle was pelted with stones near the Sundernarayan mandir. The window pane of the vehicle was shattered and one of her supporters was injured.
After first aid was administered to the injured person, Vinod Paru Nade, Desai submitted her vehicle to the Sinnar police and demanded that she be given a police vehicle to be dropped off to Pune. However, the rural police said she could be escorted only up till the district limits and dropped off there. Desai, instead of going to Pune, then returned to Nashik by midnight. Nade was taken to a civil hospital, where his wounds were stitched up.
Two cases in different police stations were filed in Nashik on Friday, one by the injured Nade and the other by Desai.
Earlier, speaking to the media, Desai had insisted that she would take darshan at the sanctum and would leave the town only then. She insisted that the commissioner of police should ensure that she was enable to exercise her right to pray at the inner sanctum.
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 "Trupti Desai")
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