Amidst The Sabarimala Riots, Pic of Weeping Camerawoman Shajila Abdulrehman Abused By Goons For Doing Her Job Goes Viral

The Sabarimala issue has reached a fever pitch in Kerala with the entry of two women into the temple premises. A hartal has been declared by Hindutva outfits and riots have broken out in many parts of the state. Media personnel, who have been reporting from the frontline, have become sitting ducks for the rioters widely described as “devotees.” According to a report by the IANS, around a 100 media personnel have been attacked by the rioters in the last two days. Among them is Kailari TV camerawoman Shajila Abdulrehman whose picture has been going viral on social media. Undeterred by the threats of the goons, some of whom even resorted to kicking her, a weeping Shajila bravely shoots a Sangh Parivar protest in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. Her plight is similar to that of hundreds of journalists and television news crews who are being attacked for doing their job.

Speaking to the media, Shajila said that it was the worst experience in her professional career. At the event, she was continuously threatened by the members of the group. Some of the goons at the event even resorted to kicking her on her back. She said they tried snatching her camera after attacking her, but she held on to it with all her might. In the melee, Shajila ended up injuring her neck. Athira, Kerala Woman Holding 6-Month-Old Baby at the Forefront of Women’s Wall, Becomes a Powerful Symbol of the Protest.

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Even after being overwhelmed by the abuse, Shajila fought back her tears and continued doing her job fearlessly. She was part of the television crew that was assigned to interview BJP leaders after two women, Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga, made history by offering prayers at Sabarimala. Shajila is now being treated for her injuries in the state capital. Despite her bitter experience, she states that she isn’t afraid of the BJP and will continue doing her job.

Kerala has been simmering ever since the Supreme Court of India allowed the entry of women into the temple. In a landmark judgement, the apex court upheld the constitutional rights of women devotees of all ages to enter Sabarimala, which had earlier restricted women between ages 10 and 50. Why Women Weren't Allowed Into The Lord Ayyappa Shrine. Many women were driven away by crazed mobs guarding the temple ever since the verdict was passed. But with the entry of the two women, Kerala has descended into a law-and-order crisis.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 03, 2019 07:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).