Seven dead, over 400 injured in bull-taming events across Tamil Nadu, India

A tragic series of bull-taming events held across Tamil Nadu, India, on January 16 resulted in the deaths of seven people, six of them spectators, and left more than 400 others injured.

Among the fatalities, one person succumbed to injuries after being gored by a bull during the Siravayal manjuvirattu in Sivaganga district. Another victim, a spectator at the Alanganallur jallikattu in Madurai, also died, while two others lost their lives in separate jallikattu events in the central districts, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

In Krishnagiri district, a 30-year-old man perished during an eruthu vidum vizha, a variant of bull racing, while a 45-year-old man was killed after being attacked by a bull at the jallikattu in Sentharapatti, Salem district. Another tragic incident saw a bull owner drown alongside his bull in a tank while attempting to retrieve the animal, which had escaped from the Siravayal arena.

The day's events saw 156 injuries reported from jallikattu competitions in the Pudukottai, Karur, and Trichy districts. Among the deceased, the 42-year-old man gored to death at Siravayal was identified as S. Subbaiah from Devakottai. At the well-known Alanganallur jallikattu, 76 individuals, including 17 bull owners and 33 spectators, sustained injuries. Among them, P. Periasamy, a 56-year-old man from Mettupatti, succumbed to his injuries despite medical efforts.

In Pudukottai, a 70-year-old man named S. Perumal was killed when a bull, which had escaped the arena at Mangadevanpatti, collided with him while he was waiting at a bus stop. Perumal was rushed to Pudukottai Medical College Hospital but was pronounced dead. Ten others were injured during the event, which saw 607 bulls and 300 tamers participating.

At the RT Malai jallikattu in Karur district, another spectator, Kuzhandhaivel, 65, from Samuthiram near Kulumani in Trichy, died after being struck by a bull. He was taken to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Trichy, where he was later declared dead. This event resulted in 52 injuries. Notably, the event offered a car to the best bull and a motorcycle to the best tamer, with the prizes presented by ministers V. Senthilbalaji, M. K. Stalin, and Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Pudukottai also hosted a jallikattu at Vanniyan Viduthi, with 638 bulls and 232 bull tamers participating. The event saw 38 injuries, all of which were treated on-site. Additionally, in Trichy, the jallikattu at Avarangadu near Valanadu resulted in 56 injuries, including 25 spectators, 21 bull tamers, and 10 bull owners, with 590 bulls and 237 tamers involved in the competition.

By Vafa Guliyeva