Indian women enter controversial temple

Indian women have successfully gained entry to a temple that has been at the centre of controversy over its ban on females.

In September the country’s Supreme Court overturned a centuries-long ban on women of menstruating age (defined as between 10 and 50) entering the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.

However, large numbers of protesters have reportedly attacked women and stopped them from gaining access.

It is now understood two female devotees of the temple deity, Lord Ayyappa, entered the site with plain clothes police and left without hostilities.

On 1 January, a 620km (385-mile) human chain - dubbed the “women’s wall” - was formed across Kerala to protest against the ban.