A 27-year-old man named Meenakshisundaram was killed after sustaining injuries from being hit by his own bull while taking it to the jallikattu venue at Periya Suriyur in Tamil Nadu’s Trichy district. He succumbed as he was being rushed to a hospital. This is the second death during the bull-taming sport in the state this week. It may be noted that a 19-year-old spectator died at the Avaniyapuram jallikattu on Friday, January 14.
Addressing the media, the jallikattu organisers at Periya Suriyur said that the victim was guiding his bull to the entrance of the event when the bull gored him on his thigh. When he started bleeding, he was taken to the Tiruchi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital where the doctors declared that he had been brought dead. At least nine people have been injured till now at the Periya Suriyur Jallikattu and are receiving treatment at various hospitals, according to IANS.
Meanwhile, the Palamedu jallikattu in Madurai was flagged off by Tamil Nadu Ministers P Thiaga Rajan and P Moorthy on the morning of Saturday, January 15, in the presence of Madurai district collector, Aneesh Rajan. Taming 21 bulls, S Prabakaran won the best tamer award, while the Sivaganga Puliyur Sooravali bull won the best bull award at the Palamedu jallikattu.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had sponsored a car for the winner of the jallikattu festival, with the second prize winner getting a two-wheeler sponsored by the DMK youth wing leader and Chief Minister's son, Udayanidhi Stalin.
A total of 704 bulls and 300 tamers participated in the event. The bulls and tamers were selected through randomization and issued a slip containing a QR code. Four people were injured including two bull owners. They were taken to the nearby hospitals and given preliminary medication. After seven rounds, the bull owners and tamers were awarded gold coins, home appliances, bicycles, clothes, sweet boxes, and cash prizes.
Two persons – Ramachandran and Thamizharasan – were removed from the Palamedu jallikattu for alleged impersonation. They had reportedly changed into the t-shirts of other mates and participated in the game, according to reports.
(With IANS inputs)