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Temple row: Trupti Desai accuses ‘attackers’ of attempted murder
“They pulled our hair, tore my clothes, abused us. I think the attackers planned to kill me,” Desai told ANI from her hospital bed. She also asked Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to take action against the people concerned.
Bhoomata Ranragini Brigade (BRB) leader Trupti Desai on Thursday accused the people who allegedly attacked her at the Mahalaxmi temple in Kolhapur of attempted murder.
The activist was hospitalised after she suffered injuries in a scuffle with priests and devotees at the temple on Wednesday night. They were reportedly trying to prevent Desai and other BRB activists from entering its sanctum sanctorum dressed in a salwar kameez, instead of the recommended sari.
Read: Desai defies ‘sari’ dress code during Mahalaxmi darshan in Kolhapur
“They pulled our hair, tore my clothes, abused us. I think the attackers planned to kill me,” Desai told ANI from her hospital bed. She also asked Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to look into the matter, and take action against the people concerned.
“There were people who came to attack us... even the priest was abusing us,” Desai alleged, adding that the attackers were heard yelling that she “shouldn’t be allowed to get out alive”.
Speaking on the activist’s condition, Dr Arjun Adnaik said she suffered from low water intake, besides decreased blood pressure and sugar levels.
Earlier on Wednesday, Desai and her followers had organised a ‘Vijay rally’ to celebrate the hard-fought right of women to enter the temple’s sanctum sanctorum. Police stopped them at Tararani Chowk and took them into preventive custody for allegedly violating prohibitory orders.
Desai, however, returned to the temple at night.
