Indian temple staff are cleared to wear their underwear

Nearly 200 staff at a Hindu temple in southern India have won the right to wear underwear to work.

The human rights commission in Kerala state has ordered Sabarimala temple to withdraw a dress code that barred staff from wearing underwear.

The dress code was imposed 10 years ago after several cases of theft.

Sabarimala is the second busiest temple in southern India after Tirupati, visited by nearly 50 million people during the special pilgrimage season.

It also receives a huge amount of donations in the form of cash and gold, silver and diamond jewellery. The staff working in the strong room of the temple, where the cash and jewellery are kept, are not allowed to wear anything except a sarong-like lower garment called "mundu".

The commission has now asked the government to take necessary steps to ensure that the staff are allowed to wear their underwear and modern facilities are put in place to prevent thefts.