Sabarimala protests: After over 12-hour wait at Kerala airport, police ask Trupti Desai to return to Pune

Kochi: Amid over a 12-hour stand-off with devotees and others, including BJP workers, at the airport here vowing not to let her proceed to the Sabarimala shrine, activist Trupti Desai said police have asked her to return to Pune.

The development comes even as the doors to the Lord Ayyappa temple opened for the "Mandala Makkaravillakku" puja.

The activist, who reached here around 4.40 am along with six young women en route to the hill temple, has been unable to come out of the airport, with the protesters saying her group would not be allowed to proceed to the Sabarimala temple.

Desai said police officers held a meeting with her. "Police have requested me to return to Pune," she told reporters.

Desai said she will announce her decision by 6.30 pm.

Protesting local BJP leaders at the airport said the devotees, including women, would not let Desai and her colleagues to come out of the airport and proceed to Sabarimala temple.

They alleged that Desai and her team came here to violate the centuries-old custom of the temple that prevented entry of women and girls in the age group of 10 and 50.

Talking to the media over phone, Desai earlier said she would not go back without darshan at the Lord Ayyappa temple.