Vellore, Jan 17: A sexagenarian was gored to death and more than 150 people, including bull tamers and spectators were injured, few of them grievously, in the annual ‘Jallikattu’ events held at different parts of Tamil Nadu on Monday.
Police said Namadevan (61), a weaver hailing from Nesal Pudupettai village was gored to death and several others injured in the “Eruthu Vidum Vizha” (bull race) – one of the different forms of Jallikattu held at Kil Arasampattu village in Vellore district.
As many as 150 bulls took part in the race. The injured were treated at the government medical college hospital.
In Madurai, 38 people including bull tamers and spectators were injured in the World-renowned Jallikattu event at Alanganallur held as part of the ongoing Pongal festivities.
As many as 1,020 bulls and 365 bull tamers took part in eight rounds of events, which was flagged off by State Finance Minister P.T.R. Palanivel Thiagarajan and Minister for Commercial Taxes P. Moorthy in the presence of District collector Dr. S. Aneesh Sekhar.
The event was largely incident-free, as the district administration had made elaborate arrangements by ensuring COVID-19 safety norms.
An agile youth, Karthik of Karupayoorani village was adjudged the best bull tamer for taming 21 ferocious bulls and a bull namely ‘bullet” owned by Tamilselvan of Pudukottai district was chosen as the best performed bull at the event. Both of them were awarded with a car each, presented by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin and DMK youth wing leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, respectively.
Attractive prizes, including bikes, gold coins, house-hold articles, gift hampers were awarded to the best bull tamers and bull owners.
The owners of all the bulls which were released into the arena from ‘Vaadivasal’ were given gold coins each.
Addressing the gathering after the end of the event, Moorthy said this is for the first time in the history of Jallikattu events in Tamil Nadu, more than 1,000 bulls were let out into the arena.
Meanwhile, reports reaching here said more than 100 persons were injured in the Jallikattu events held at Koolamedu in Salem district and Vanniyan Viduthi village in Pudukottai districts.
