Activist Bindhu Ammini, who was one of the first women between the ages of 10 to 50 to enter the Sabarimala temple, was attacked by a man in Kozhikode on Wednesday, January 5. Videos and images of the brutal attack have come to light. In the visuals, a man in a shirt and mundu/veshti is seen grabbing her and beating her. He is seen trying to choke her and pushing her head to the ground while she tries to defend herself. At one point while he is attacking her, his veshti falls off, leaving him exposed, as he continues to push her down. A few others can be seen watching the attack.

I am not safe here anymore, the only option is to leave the country and seek asylum,” an aggrieved Bindhu Ammini said on Thursday. The police have identified the attacker to be a man named Mohandas. This isn’t the first time Bindhu has been subjected to such savage attacks. Last December, she was hit by an autorickshaw and sustained head injuries. She filed a complaint at the time with Koyilandy police and alleged that the attack was planned due to her Sabarimala campaign. Bindhu, along with Kanaka Durga made history by climbing the shrine on January 2, 2019. This took place after the Supreme Court in its judgment in September 2018 allowed the entry of young women into the temple.

"It was after I climbed Sabarimala that I was subjected to all these attacks. It's not that yesterday's incident was a conspired one. Because the message passed on to all, minor and major, right wing groups is to attack me whenever and wherever they see me. The benefit they get from attacking me is that they would get reward and respect," 

Further, Bindhu Ammini told the media that the police in the state stand for the Sangh Parivar. She also alleged that the police have not conducted a proper investigation into any of the attacks on her.