As many as 32 people, including bull-tamers and spectators, suffered minor injuries in the jallikattu held at Siravayal village here on Sunday. Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, State Khadi Minister G. Baskaran and former DMK Minister K.R. Periyakaruppan were among the spectators witnessing the event.
The annual bull-taming sport, which used to draw huge crowds from various parts of the district and neighbouring regions, was held after a gap of two years, thanks to the State government clearing the decks and lifting the ban on the sport.
Mr. Baskaran inaugurated the event at 11:10 a.m., in the presence of Sivaganga Collector S. Malarvizhi, AIADMK MP P.R. Senthilnathan and Deputy Director General of Police (Ramanathapuram range) Kapil C. Saratkar. It went on till 12:30 p.m, officials said.
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As the event was in progress, Mr. Radhakrishnan, who had openly offered his support to the rural sport, joined the spectators and watched the game from a specially erected gallery. “I am delighted to witness the first jallikattu after the ban was lifted this year,” he told
All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi founder Sarath Kumar, a native of the village, came in a procession along with the village committee members and witnessed the event.