Four transgender women have been allowed to pray at an Indian temple at the centre of a bitter row over whether women should be permitted to enter.
Despite a Supreme Court ruling allowing women devotees into the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala state, they have been blocked repeatedly by mobs.
The transgender women, all wearing black sarees, were allowed to enter on Tuesday under police protection.
The temple has historically been closed to women of "menstruating age". The group of transgender women had been blocked from accessing the temple on Sunday by police, citing security concerns.
Before September's Supreme Court ruling, transgender women were allowed to enter the shrine, but since the decision - which sparked violent protests - some police officials had suggested that transgender women should dress as men in order to gain access.
They refused and took their case to a committee set up by the Kerala High Court. The panel agreed that they could pray at the shrine, and temple officials also said they did not object to the transgender women because they do not menstruate.
Source : BBC
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