84 injured in Alanganallur; 2 killed at Siravayal
Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin flagged off the event in Alanganallur in the presence of Ministers P Moorthy, and Anitha R Radhakrishnan.
Representative Image
MADURAI/ SIVAGANGA: Nearly 84 persons, including tamers, bull owners, and spectators, were injured during the jallikattu event at Alanganallur, in Madurai on Wednesday, and two spectators, including a 12-year-old boy, were gored to death by bulls and more than 100 persons were injured in Manjuvirattu (bull race) event held at Siravayal village in Sivaganga district on Wednesday.
Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin flagged off the event in Alanganallur in the presence of Ministers P Moorthy, and Anitha R Radhakrishnan.
Totally, 810 bulls made their way through Vaadivaasal and 501 tamers displayed their valour. Bull owned by Melur Guna of Tiruchy and Karthi of Karuppayoorani, Madurai, who tamed 18 bulls, won the first place in their respective categories. Each were given a car a prize. Chief Minister MK Stalin had sponsored the car for the best bull owner, who received the keys from Udhayanidhi.
A bull owned by Vellaikali Soundar of Kamarajarpuram, Madurai received a motorbike as the second prize, and Abisithar of Poovanthi, Sivaganga district got a bike for being adjudged third.
Meanwhile, official sources in Siravayal said, one of the bulls unleashed into the arena gored a boy, 12-yr-old Baskaran of K Valayapatti village, to death.
Another person, aged around 35, whose identity was yet to be established, died after a ferocious bull gored him when he was watching the event. Over 50,000 spectators assembled in the village to witness the event, flagged off by Minister for Cooperation KR Periyakaruppan in the presence of District Collector Asha Ajith.
Meanwhile, the annual bull taming sport in Alanganallur, attracted foreign spectators cheering while watching among the crowd.
The spectators from France, England, USA, Australia, Italy and Ireland were excited as they watched it for the first time. Geoffrey from Ireland laughed saying it is a crowded fun and amazing to watch. Paul from England said he was aware of jallikattu through social media and was eager to watch it live.