One person was killed and 68 were injured at the ‘jallikattu' at Palamedu in Madurai district on Sunday.
N. Bagyaraj (22) of Batlagundu in Dindigul, a spectator, was gored to death, Madurai Collector C. Kamaraj told The Hindu. The bull had passed through the main contest area and was about to be apprehended by its owner when it struck at the youth. Bagyaraj died on the way to the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH).
Of the injured, 30 were bull tamers, 35 spectators and three bull owners.
As many as 10 people were referred to the GRH. Superintendent of Police M. Manohar was present at the event along with Deputy Inspector-General of Police Sandeep Mittal and a host of other police officials.
A posse of police personnel was deployed to regulate the huge crowd. Double barricades were erected along the entire arena. Frequent scuffles broke out among bull tamers, and police personnel had to intervene to break them up. Several contestants were evicted for violating norms such as pulling the bull's tail.
All registered contestants were given uniforms and those not in uniform were evicted. There was some panic when a bull broke through a barricade.
Animal Welfare Board of India members along with officials from the Departments of Revenue, Animal Husbandry and Police had turned up in strength to ensure the event was held in compliance with the Tamil Nadu Regulation of Jallikattu Act, 2009.
According to K. Kajamohideen, Joint Director of Animal Husbandry Department, the medical fitness of all the 266 bulls that took part was checked by a 40-member team of veterinarians. No injuries to bulls were reported.
