THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tamil Nadu-based Manithi team leader Selvi has said that they are ready to go to Sabarimala if Kerala police provide them with protection.

“The first trip to Sabarimala was started from Madhurai only after the police assured us of security. There was also three police officers in the police vehicle in which we were travelling,” she said.

Selvi said that the police took them to Sabarimala as if they were in custody. The Manithi team had to give up their earlier plans for their trekking to Sabarimala due to the intervention of the police. The team changed their plan for journey according to the instruction of the police.

The first decision was that Manthi teams from Kerala and Tamil Nadu will gather at Kottayam Railway station and climb Sabarimala together.

But against this decision, the police took the first group to Pamba. Selvi alleged that the police hadn’t allowed them to go to Kottayam and meet other members. Following this, they split into different groups and decided to trek the hill separately.

But the first batch of Manithis itself had to face the wrath of protesters. The scene of the manithi women and policemen running down the hill and crossing Pamba had a laughing stock for the public.

Meanwhile, the police’ stand is that they won’t give protection to women until Mandalam season came to an end.