A 22-year-old bull tamer was killed and 27 others were injured at jallikattu events held at A. Kalingapatti, near Manapparai in Tiruchi district, and Singarayapuram in Ariyalur district on Saturday.
The youth was killed in the jallikattu at A. Kalingapatti, while 21 others sustained injuries. Police identified the victim as K. Ranjith of T.V.S. Tollgate in Tiruchi city. He was among the 243 bull tamers who were permitted to participate in the event after physical screening by a team of doctors. He fell unconscious near the vaadivasal as a heavily built bull hit him on the chest. He was brought dead to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchi.
With the death of Ranjinth, the number of casualties in jallikattu events since Pongal have gone up to six.
Incidentally, he was the first tamer to have been killed so far. All other five victims were spectators. Ranjith is the second victim from Tiruchi district.
Out of 434 registered bulls, 429 bulls from Tiruchi, Dindigul, Madurai, Pudukottai and Karur district were permitted to participate in the event. Five bulls were rejected as they failed to clear the screening conducted by a team of veterinarians. Similarly, nine persons were disqualified for failing to adhere to the rules and regulations.
Case against organisers
More than 10,000 spectators witnessed the event. Minister for Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare, S. Valarmathi, Collector K. Rajamani, Member of Parliament P. Kumar and Superintendent of Police P.C. Kalyan were among those present.
Six persons were injured in the jallikattu at Singarayapuram. One of them has been admitted to the Government Hospital in Jayankondam. The others were treated by doctors at the venue. The police said that a case had been registered against the organisers for conducting the event without permission.
