Police, revenue officials set record straight on social media

Tirupattur/Vellore: Senior police and revenue officials took to social media to set the record straight on issues pertaining to bull runs in Vellore and Tirupattur districts, recently.

On Wednesday night a crowd of more than 300 youth pelted stones at the police following the death of a youth Musharaf of Jolarpet in a bull run at Kalnarchampatti near Natrampalli in Tirupattur district. It resulted in injuries to policemen, one of whom was admitted to the Tirupattur Government Hospital while the glass panes of a police and revenue vehicle were broken.

While Tirupattur police said the situation in the village was under control, press releases were issued through WhatsApp while SP Balakrishnan used the same media to personally narrate what happened through a video message.

As Dr Balakrishnan said, “the Tirupattur hospital doctors stated that it was a bull gore injury sustained at 3 pm.” The bull’s horns had made a 4X2 centimeter incision in the boy’s stomach, which lead to his death.

The incident was sparked by some persons wantonly releasing the bulls despite the organisers announced ending of the bull run. Locals blaming the police for the boy’s death being caused by the police lathi charge was not true, Balakrishnan said and added that stringent action would be taken against rumour mongers.

Police officials said the situation was also calm in Tirupattur GH where TMMK cadre demonstrated on Wednesday night demanding compensation and action against the cops responsible for Musharaf’s death. Vellore DRO K Ramamurthy also took to social media a couple of days ago when rumours spread that a 14-year-old boy was killed in a bull run near Vellore when actually the boy was gored to death by the bull he was taking it for feeding.

Autopsy of victim done; hosp under police cover

The Vellore Government Medical College Hospital where the post-mortem of Musharaf of Jolarpet, who was gored to death in a bull run at Kalnarchampatti near Natrampalli in Tirupattur district was conducted saw heavy police presence on Thursday. The autopsy was completed around 1.30 pm and the body was handed over to family members. The body was later buried in his native village with heavy police presence. Jolarpet DMK MLA K Devaraji paid his respects to the body and later handed over Rs 1 lakh to the victim’s family members from his personal fund, sources said. Tirupattur SP Balakrishnan was also present. The incident also resulted in bull runs planned in various villages in Tirupattur district on Thursday being cancelled.

Meanwhile, at Kalnarchampatti police registered cases against 5 persons and also rounded up another 37 others for investigation and interrogation. Police pickets continue in the village.

At Vellore, Collector Kumaravel Pandian said that bull runs in the district would be cancelled if the organisers failed to abide by all the safety instructions mandated by the district administration. He said the collector’s office had received many complaints on this score.

Accidents occur as bulls run on narrow streets

Conducting the annual Pongal related bull runs on narrow and congested village streets was the main reason for accidents in which both members of the public and bulls were injured, sources revealed. Seven persons were injured in the bull run at Govindareddypalalyam near Vellore mainly because the bulls moved into the crowds where there were no barricades. It was this lack of barricade which resulted in a bull entering a house and attacking a man there, sources revealed. The run also resulted in the death of a bull which ran onto the main road. Similarly, in the bull run at Anaicut 25 bulls were injured when they slipped and fell on the road after crossing the dedicated bull run path. An official meeting at the Vellore collectorate enjoined on bull run organisers to ensure that open wells in the vicinity of bull runs were closed.