Jallikattu claims 7 lives

Chennai: A tragic series of incidents unfolded across Tamil Nadu during the Jallikattu and related bull-taming events on Thursday and Friday, re-sulting in the death of seven people and injuries to over 400 others.

Among the deceased, six were spectators who attended the traditional bull-taming competitions, and one was a participant. The fatalities high-light the inherent risks involved in these events, despite their cultural sig-nificance. In Sivaganga district, a 42-year-old man, S Subbaiah from Devakottai, succumbed to injuries after being gored by a bull at the Si-ravayal manjuvirattu, a variant of Jallikattu.

A second victim, 56-year-old P Periasamy from Mettupatti, died at the famed Alanganallur Jallikattu in Madurai after being injured during the event. Two more individuals lost their lives in separate incidents during Jallikattu in the central districts of Tamil Nadu. In Krishnagiri district, a 30-year-old man died in an “eruthu vidum vizha,” a form of bull race.

Similarly, a 45-year-old man died after a bull attacked him at a Jallikattu held in Sentharapatti, Salem district. In yet another incident, a bull owner tragically drowned while attempting to retrieve his runaway bull from a tank after it bolted from the Siravayal arena. In total, 156 people were injured during Jallikattu events held across Pudukottai, Karur, and Trichy districts.