For at least two to three months, kabaddi tournaments will not be permitted in Ramanathapuram district, said Superintendent of Police P. Thangadurai here on Friday.
Following some complaints of clash after local kabaddi tournaments were held in locations like Mudukalathur and Paramakudi in the district last week, it had been decided not to permit playing of the game as a temporary measure, he told The Hindu on Friday.
It has been customary to conduct games in villages as a part of temple festivals coinciding the birth anniversaries of any leader, villagers in Nainarkoil said.
Three days ago, during a kabaddi tourney that was held in Nainarkoil, a clash erupted between two teams. The charge was that the organisers were partial and ensured that the local team emerged winner. Irritated, some of the players, had allegedly hired men from other districts to attack.
As the issue snowballed, the local police sensed trouble and pickets were deployed in Nainarkoil and surrounding habitations. Similarly, trouble arose in some villages in Keelakarai and Mudukulathur too after kabaddi matches, villagers said.
Even as talks were being held among elders in the organising committees of the kabaddi tourney, some of the youngsters indulged in posting videos in social media. As the posts went viral, trouble erupted on Thursday evening as youth from different villages assembled.
In a bid to chase away the crowd, when a sub-inspector of police took his service revolver and flashed it, the crowd ran away. Though the police claimed that the officer had no intention to open fire, the action caused panic. The SP held an inquiry over the issue, officials said.
Meanwhile, Mr Thangadurai said that as a precautionary measure, the police had proposed not to allow any teams to play kabaddi in Ramanathapuram district. “ This is only a temporary action. It will be revived as and when the situation improves,” he added.
With the Tyagi Immanuel Sekaran and Thevar Jayanthi anniversaries expected to be held in September and October, the police officers do not want any law and order issue over ‘petty’ matters.
