Vellore village postpones bull run to save standing crops

Villagers of Poigai Mottur village, around 8 km from Vellore on Chennai–Bengaluru national highway, set a new precedent by deciding to postpone a scheduled bull run to March-April to save standing paddy crops. According to sources, the bull run, which was slated for Wednesday, was postponed after farmers of adjoining fields expressed apprehensions that their standing paddy crop in about 5 acres would be affected.

The fields lie at the end of the main street of the village where the run is conducted and when unleashed, the bulls would run and plough into the fields damaging the crops.

“We have experienced this once or twice earlier, but as the damage was limited then, we did not make an issue of it,” said Munusamy, a farmer. But now that nearby tanks are full after the recent rain, it resulted in farmers opting for paddy cultivation and the crops have neared their half growth mark.

“This is the reason why farmers appealed to the organisers to postpone the event or shift the venue,” said village panchayat ward member Agni Velmurugan.

Velmurugan in turn also approached the organisers, who finally agreed to postpone the run. All nearby villages from where both spectators and bulls come for participation in this village’s event were also informed about the postponement.

“However, some people (and 5 bulls) who were not aware of the postponement came to the village on Wednesday and had to return disappointed,” Velmurugan added.

Farmers, who were happy at the turn of events, said “the bull run will be conducted in all grandeur once the paddy crop is harvested.”