Ayyappa devotees stage protest over harassment of student wearing sacred mala in Suryapet school

Tension gripped Suryapet town after Ayyappa Swamy devotees staged a dharna outside a private school, accusing the principal of harassing a student for wearing the sacred mala ahead of his Sabarimala pilgrimage. Police intervened to prevent escalation.

Suryapet: Tensions flared outside a private school in Suryapet district headquarters on Thursday as a group of Ayyappa Swamy devotees staged a dharna in front of the institution on Thursday.

The demonstration was triggered by allegations that the school principal has been harassing a student for wearing the sacred Ayyappa mala.

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The student has been wearing the mala as part of the rituals of worship ahead of his Sabarimala pilgrimage. Protesters, donning the traditional black attire and mala, accused the management of the school of religious discrimination against a section of students. They claimed the principal’s actions, reportedly including verbal abuse and restrictions on the student’s participation in classes, violate the child’s right to observe the rituals of his faith.

Police were deployed at the institution.