Activist Trupti Desai detained at Pune ahead of her departure to meet with PM Narendra Modi in Shirdi

Activist Trupti Desai was detained early on Friday morning by the Pune Police, ahead of her visit to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the temple town of Shirdi in Maharashtra.

PM Modi is scheduled to visit Shirdi to attend the closing ceremonies of the year-long festival marking the centenary of samadhi of the Shirdi Saibaba.

Desai said the police were already at her home on Friday morning when she was about to leave for Shirdi. She said, "Police force was already here today morning when we were about to leave for Shirdi."

According to the police, the government does not want to take any risk during the tour of PM Modi. At least 40 police personnel have been deployed outside the house. There were at least five other women, including Desai, were about to go to Shirdi. 

Earlier on Thursday, Desai had written a letter to SP Ahmednagar demanding to meet PM Modi to discuss the Sabrimala Temple issue ahead of his visit. She had also threatened to stop his convoy if he didn't meet her. 

The shrine of Lord Ayyappa, located on the mountain range of the Western Ghats, and bars women of menstruating age from entering the temple. However, there has been a continuous protest after the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages to enter the temple. Scores of protesters, including women, have been up in arms since the verdict was pronounced. The temple will close on October 22.

Speaking of Friday's ceremonies, Saibaba, who passed away in Shirdi village in Ahmednaar district on Dassehra Day in 1918 is revered across communities and will .

To mark the centenary of his samadhi, the Trust had organised year-long celebrations which were inaugurated by President Ram Nath Kovind on October 1, 2017.

In December 2017, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated a Global Sai Temple Conference and a series of big and small activities were carried out throughout the year.

Modi`s visit marks the culmination of the festivities in which over 10 million devotees from India and abroad took part.