Collector L. Subramanian and Superintendent of Police V. Balakrishnan on Tuesday warned ‘Jallikattu’ organisers in the district of severe actions, including blacklisting of bull owners as well as venues, if they failed to follow norms laid down by the Supreme Court during the conduct of the event in various places this year.
Presiding over a meeting of all stakeholders at the Collectorate here, Mr. Subramanian said that galleries erected by village committees should be handed over to the Public Works Department by 10 a.m. on the previous day of the event. Stability certificates for the galleries would be issued only after a thorough inspection. He said that Avaniapuram would be removed from the list of permitted venues if the organisers failed to establish a proper collection point for gathering the bulls. Mr. Balakrishnan said that no bull should return to the turf after emerging out of the Vadivasal (passage through which the bulls enter the arena).
It was made clear that owners should not take away their bulls from collection point until the event was over. Stating that there was video evidence of some people having hurt the animals at Palamedu as well as Avaniapuram before they entered the Vadivasal last year, the SP said: “I’ll order registration of cases on the spot if anyone indulges in such cruel acts this year.”
He urged the organisers to uphold the pride of the event by “decreasing the quantity and increasing the quality. Around 75 per cent of the bulls that participate in jallikattu does not challenge the tamers at all. They just run off the turf. What is the point in letting them participate? You can refuse to register such bulls and make the event more enjoyable,” he suggested.
He recalled that last year hoardings were erected in jallikattu venues eulogising certain individuals who were later found to be accused in several criminal cases. The Collector intervened to state that only village committees would be allowed to erect hoardings with prior permission from the Revenue Divisional Officer. Instructions were issued to officials and local body heads to ensure no sale of liquor or pork in the vicinity of jallikattu venues on the day of the events.
