In the wake of a mounting enthusiasm among villagers in different parts of Vellore district to conduct the ‘erudhu vidum vizha' (bull race festival), which forms one of the highlights of the Pongal celebrations in rural areas, the Vellore district administration on Tuesday identified 174 places for the conduct of bull race in the district after obtaining the permission of the Supreme Court in the light of the apex court ban on holding such festivals in districts in Tamil Nadu where it has not been permitted.
The district administration's move is meant to ease the difficulties faced by the police and revenue officials in handling the law and order situation arising out of the attempts by enthusiastic villagers to organise bull races in the last three days unmindful of the Supreme Court ban. Close on the heels of the incident in Valayambattu in Vaniyambadi taluk on Monday, when police had to prevent a bull race and control the 3,000-strong crowd which had thronged the village to witness the event, they had to face the fury of the nearly 6,000-strong mob which gathered at Vellakuttai in the same taluk on Tuesday with the intention of watching a bull race, which was eventually prevented.
According to a top police official, the villagers vented their ire at the police for not allowing the race which was a traditional and cultural event forming part of the Pongal festivities in rural areas. They appeared to be in no mood to listen to the reasoning of the police that the Supreme Court had not permitted the event in Vellore district.
