The Maharashtra police on Thursday has detained gender rights activist and bhumata brigade leader Trupti Desai along with other members at Ahmednagar while they were en route to sai baba temple at Shirdi.
Ms Desai had criticised boards allegedly put up by the temple trust outside the premises, urging devotees to be dressed in civilised Manet as per Indian culture. She had announced her intention to go inside the Shirdi and pull down the boards with the contentious messages on December 10.
The entourage was detained near Supa village on the Pune-Ahmednagar high-way under section 68 of the Bombay police act, said police authorities. We released all the activists on Thursday evening and escorted them back till the Pune district border said ahmednagar superintendent of police Manoj Patil.
Meanwhile the temple trust officials clarified that they had not imposed any dress code on devotees and their message was just an appeal following complaints that some people had visited the shrine wearing allegedly objectionable clothes.
We urge the temple trust to remove the boards by December 31.if the boards are not removed we will once again go to Shirdi. Ms Desai said. The gender rights activist made news a few years ago with her temple entry crusades to demolish gender barriers at shrines across Maharashtra.
Lawcutor 