It is free-for-all at Alanganallur

It turned out to be a free-for all at Alanganallur where peaceful protests were going for week demanding permanent legislation for conducting jallikattu.

Trouble began after police resorted to lathi-charge the protesters, who stayed put at the agitation venue despite appeals to disperse from the spot by cops. Angered by the police action, the protesters too retaliated by pelting stones. Women, in their counter to police action, turned ‘human shields’ for protesters. Amid the tension, when the local jallikattu committee members tried to convince the protesters to withdraw their stir, the latter refused to relent and returned them. Following this police warned that they would resort to lathi-charge, if the protesters refused to quit the place. In a bid foil the police attempt, the protesters started singing the national anthem and shouted slogans of ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai.’ They also made a national flag model using towels in a bid to fail police from tou attack them. 

However, police were unmoved and started forcibly remove the protesters from the venue. When agitators stood firm, police resorted to a lathi-charge. Nearly 20 persons, including two women, sustained serious injuries on their heads. 

All the injured were removed to hospital by an ambulance Police also took away the bikes of all the protesters and villagers to the Vadipatti station. Three policemen were also injured in stone-throwing incidents. However, after the high drama, the crowd dispersed from the place. A heavy posse of police has been posted in the entire village as the region continued to be tense. 

The seven-day protest for jallikattu organised by students and youth were withdrawn across the southern districts on Monday following the passing of the bill in favour of jallikattu in the in the Assembly. The bill facilitating the amendment to remove the bull from performance animal category would become a law once the President gives his consent. 

After news about the passage of the bill broke, protesters started withdrawing their agitations. Even before the bill was tabled in the Assembly, protests were called off in many places including Theni, Ramanathapuram, Arupukottai, Tirunelveli, Kovilpatti and Thoothukudi. However, the situation was fluid till late in the evening. In an exception in the whole state, the police did not use force on Tamukkam grounds. Even though Madurai Police Commissioner Shailesh Kumar Yadav held talks with the protesters, they stood their ground. Despite the heavy police presence, no force was used. Later in the evening, when the announcement of the passage of the bill trickled in, the protesters started leaving the ground on their own. 

However, a small group of agitators prevented fellow protesters from waving Indian flag as a mark of victory. When the group refused to leave, cops warned and evicted them. Meanwhile, the five-day long rail roko at Sellur in Madurai came to an end with police resorting to lathi-charge. Strangely, cops also hurled stones to disperse the group. Subsequently train services resumed in the section. When the youth assembled on the Vaigai river bed, policemen started hurling stones at them. Shocked by this, the protesters took to their heels.

After the protesters dispersed from the venue, the Alanganallur village committee members announced that they were ready to conduct the jallikattu on February 1. They had informed the same to the district administration. Similarly, the Palamedu committee informed that the sport would be held in their villave on February 2. On Monday morning, the village committees met and confirmed the dates. Balaji, president, village committee, announced that jallikattu would be conducted on February 1 at Alanganallur. A resolution was adopted in front of the vadivasal, as per the custom, confirming the date. In Palamedu too, the village committee met and adopted a resolution to conduct the sport on Feb 2. Only in Alanganallur, the jallikattu is conducted as a government function. At Palamedu, it is organised by the village committee.  Sources said that Avaniyapuram village committee has postponed the event’s date, which was earlier scheduled for Jan 25, to February 3.