Sabarimala protesters on Tuesday raged, intimidated and sent back at least one woman from the age group of 10-50 years as they refused to break with tradition. After the Lord Ayyappa temple opened on Monday at 5 p.m. for the special one-day session amid tight security, there were violent protests by devotees late in the night and early on Tuesday as they found out women from the hitherto banned age group approaching the shrine.

Two women on Tuesday were apprehended on their way through Pamba and threatened after devotees found out they were without the holy kit (Irumudi Kettu). Shouting Ayyappa slogans the protesters stopped them from advancing any further. This was despite the fact that they were above 50 years, the police said.