Woman who defied India temple ban beaten by relative

A woman who entered an Indian temple at the centre of controversy over a ban on women claims she has been attacked by a relative and hospitalised.

Kanaka Durga, 39, had been in hiding since 2 January, after she was one of two women to enter the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.

The shrine was closed to women of "menstruating age" - defined as between 10 and 50 - until India's Supreme Court overturned the ban in September.

Despite the ruling, protesters blocked any women who tried to enter.

Durga alleges she was beaten by her mother-in-law with a wooden stick and received a head injury.

Police have lodged a case against the suspect.