The SC said its 2018 verdict allowing entry of girls and women of all ages into the Ayyappa-temple at Kerala's Sabarimala was not the "final-word" as the matter was referred to a-larger-bench. The top-court's observation came when senior-advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for a woman-devotee, Bindu-Ammini, alleged violation of the 2018 verdict and said her client was attacked for her bid to enter the shrine.

A 40-year-old pilgrim from Andhra Pradesh died of a heart-attack on his way to Lord-Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala on Wednesday, police said. Kameshwar Rao, who was part of a 28-member pilgrim group from Andhra Pradesh, felt uneasy while trekking at Neelimala, one of the sacred hills to reach the forest shrine. The report was "fake" and baseless, the board said in a press release.

Kerala Police stopped a 12-year-old girl from entering the Sabarimala temple despite a Supreme Court order to allow women of all age to enter the revered Lord Ayyappa temple. Recently the Supreme Court referred a bunch of review petitions against its 2018 verdict and said a larger 7-judge bench will hear the matter of allowing women of menstruating age to enter the Sabarimala temple.