The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA India) has written to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister seeking a ban on jallikattu by citing the fact that 23 persons, including bull tamers and spectators, and six bulls, died in the last one year during the conduct of the sport.
In a letter, Nikunj Sharma representing the organisation said that the deaths had taken place since the passing of the Prevention of the Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act in January 2017. “The rising death toll proves that these events are inherently cruel and hazardous, and no amount of regulation can ever change that. It is time to start valuing lives more than so-called tradition,” he said.
Death toll
Between 2008 and 2014, as many as 43 humans and four bulls were killed during jallikattu events and since January last year, around 2,500 persons and numerous bulls were injured, the organisation said.
Claiming that it was in possession of video footage taken over the past year, it said it would prove that animals were treated cruelly during jallikattu events.
Among others, PeTA listed twisting and biting of bulls’ tails, stabbing and jabbing bulls with sickles and other sharp objects.
The bulls bled because their nose ropes were handled roughly.
The organisation also alleged that the January-May, 2017 window during which jallikattu events were to be held according to the new law was not observed.
PeTA quoted news reports to say that foxes were being used in some races.
“The disregard shown to bulls during jallikattu seems to have led to disregard for animals in general,” it said.
