The police on Monday asked the media in Sannidhanam and Pamba to depart from the area because they had received tipoff about a targeted attack being planned on the media group, as news agency ANI reported. On October 17, when the doors of the Lord Ayyappa on hilly place of pilgrimage were opened for the first time after the controversial Supreme Court decision, a number of female reporters, who were on their way to Sabarimala temple to report on the story, were attacked by devotees protesting against the apex court order.

Worth mention here the Supreme Court, in its judgment on September 28,  gave its nod to women of all ages to worship at the temple. Ever since the doors of the holy place were opened last week, 10 women have been forced to come back as the protesters, who have camped on the way to Sabarimala harassed and interrupted them. On a related note Most of the women have not been able to go beyond Nilakkal and Pamba, which are the two base camps near the temple.

On Sunday, a 46-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh, who was trekking to Sabarimala with her family, went through a panic attack and fell unconscious after the protesters surrounded and hissed her demanding ID card to check her age. She was later admitted in a hospital in Pamba for treatment.