Sabarimala: Police arrested five men who included a crowd that blocked two women devotees near Neelimala from trekking to the hill shrine on Wednesday morning.
Both Reema Nishant and Shanila Rajesh from Kannur were trekking to the temple accompanied by six men when a group of people blocked and sat on their path chanting hymns.
Police forcibly removed the two women and six men chaperoning them to safety as the situation turned violent.
They were later taken to Nilackal. Protesters pelted coconut shells and stones at police vehicles.