36 injured in jallikattu held at Kalaignar Centenary arena near Alanganallur
The two-day event got off to a rousing start at the arena on Tuesday, amidst cheers from packed stands.
Tamers grab a bull during jallikattu action at Kalaignar Centenary Aeruthazhuvuthal arena at Kilakarai
MADURAI: Thirty-six persons including 18 tamers and 15 bull owners were injured during jallikattu contest organised at the Kalaignar Centenary Aeruthazhuvuthal arena at Kilakarai near Alanganallur in Madurai district.
The two-day event got off to a rousing start at the arena on Tuesday, amidst cheers from packed stands.
Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration P Moorthy flagged off the event in the presence of District Revenue Officer R Sakthivel and Revenue Divisional Officer RD Shalini, after the bull tamers took oath.
Amid enthusiastic applause from spectators, bulls from various localities including Anaiyur, Kulamangalam, Chatrapatti, Veerapandi, Iyer Bungalow, Tiruppalai, Kannanendal, Kadachanendhal and Panangadi got into the arena, giving the tamers a tough battle.
Bulls aggressively steered through vaadivaasal and tamers, on the other hand, were desperate to excel in the contest.
858 bulls were let loose through the vaadivaasal through eight rounds in the contest until dusk. Several bulls and the tamers, who excelled in the contest, won prizes instantly.
A spectator from Periya Ilanthaikulam, V Senthilkumar, who witnessed jallikattu, along with his two children, said the gallery was almost packed since the government declared holiday for the Thaipoosam festival.
Further, the spectator suggested that jallikattu should have been organised at this arena on days close to the Pongal festival.
Another spectator Kousalya from Kuravankulam, Alanganallur said to keep the arena alive, folk dances and cultural shows were organised here on weekends since last month.
According to District Health Officer P Kumaraguruparan, seven teams of doctors screened tamers as per standard procedure, before every round of the event. A total of 385 tamers were screened and among them, ten were rejected because they did not meet criteria.
Animal Husbandry Department sources said of the 860 bulls, two bulls were rejected for being underweight and producing false documents.
