Bindu Ammini, one of the two women who first entered the Sabarimala temple in January this year was allegedly attacked by a man who sprayed chilli and pepper on her face. Ammini is one of the members of the group accompanying women's rights activist Trupti Desai who has announced that she will be visiting the Sabarimala shrine 'with or without security'.

"A man sprayed chilli and pepper at my face outside Ernakulam city police commissioner's office today morning," Ammini was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Meanwhile, Desai reached Kochi early on Tuesday and said, "We will visit Sabarimala temple today on Constitution Day. Neither the state government nor the police can stop us from visiting the temple. Whether we get security or not we will visit the temple today."

Desai and the group said that they preferred November 26 to visit the shrine as it was the Constitution Day. She further said that she had come with the 2018 order of the Supreme Court which allowed the entry of women of all age groups at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala.

"I will leave Kerala only after offering prayers at the shrine," the activist said. Desai has previously made unsuccessful attempts to enter the temple in November 2018, weeks after the apex court lifted the ban on entry of women between the age group of 10-50, at the Sabarimala shrine.

In a historic verdict, the apex court last year lifted the ban on entry of women at the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala. This was followed by massive protests across the state by devotees who believe that women in the menstruating age group are not allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum where Lord Ayyappa rests in a state of eternal celibacy.

The Kerala government has said that it will neither help, nor provide protection to women wanting to visit the Sabarimala shrine.