A group of male protested against the long standing practice of removing upper clothes before entering the Pathanamthitta situated Lord Ayyappa temple. They entered the temple on Sunday without removing their shirts in protest. Protestors were members of the SNDP Samyuktha Samara Samithi. They formed a queue in front of the shrine in Perunadu managed by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and offering prayers without removing their shirts.