Bull runs held at Kammavanpet in Vellore despite ban

This was despite the district administration holding a meeting of police and revenue officials with bull owners in the presence of Jallikattu monitoring committee member SK Mittal at the Collectorate on Monday where the latter said that villages which conducted bull runs without adherence to SOPs would have such events in their locality being banned for two years.

Sources revealed that “the bull run was conducted disregarding the ban order. Though some wooden barricades were seen at the venue, a police van is also seen near the venue along with some police personnel.”

What the police were doing at the venue is a mystery as on Sunday the Vellore SP’s office released a press release announcing the ban and that tough action would be taken on defaulters. Rural public cock a snook at officials as they know that action will never be taken as it involves the entire village.

Pictures of the venue showed a huge crowd without social distancing and pressed tight as sardines, while masks were conspicuous by their total absence. A total of 250 bulls participated in the run.

Bull runs were again permitted from January 27 based on organisers, spectators and bull owners following SOPs fully, according to Mittal who spoke at the meeting.

Collector Kumaravel Pandian said a team of revenue and police officials would check the bull run venue and permission would be given only if all rules were followed.

However sources in the village said the “run started only at 11 am and that too only after being getting the green signal from Vellore.” But officials “wonder how a green signal was given when SOPs were not followed as that was the aim of the official meeting on Monday.”