NASHIK: Cases under the Maharashtra Hindu Places of Public Worship (entry authorisation) Act have been registered against the Shri Triambakeshwar Devasthan Trust (STDT) trustees, priests and villagers for allegedly refusing entry to women led by Vanita Gatte, president of Swarajya Mahila Sanghatna.
Assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Pravin Mundhe said that cases had been registered under Section 4 and 5 of the Act on Thursday.
Ms Gatte said that they had had a meeting with the trustees on Wednesday. “The trustees agreed that they would allow women inside the sanctum of the temple. We were asked to be present at 6 am and the duration for permitting entry into the sanctum is only one hour,” she said.
According to tradition, the devotees, wishing to enter the sanctum have to wear sovale (silk dhoti). If they wear a cotton dhoti they have to take a dip in water first and enter with wet clothes. Ms Gatte said that women wore silk clothes and waited for darshan. “About 30 to 40 purohits (priests) were already in the sanctum and indirectly stopped us from entering.”
