Jallikattu violence: Cops, protesters blame each other

After six days of peaceful protests across Tamil Nadu, the jallikattu movement, which sought to protect the traditional bull-taming sport from court-imposed bans, turned violent on Monday.

While the police alleged that protesters turned violent and started attacking him, agitators said the police personnel only triggered violence.

Police said ‘anti-social elements’ crept into the protests and instigated vulnerable youth to indulge in violence. Even as the State Assembly passed the Bill on jallikattu, some of the protesters were in no mood to disperse.

“We saw an unusual number of police nearing the Marina Beach early on Monday morning and they forcefully tried to evict us. As they came in more than a thousand of us formed a human chain near the sea,” said a student who was at the spot during the unrest.

Arterial lanes across Chennai had been blocked by agitators holding black flags, who were demanding a ‘permanent’ solution to jallikattu. The GN Chetty road, a lane that connects T Nagar to Nungambakkam, Egmore, Cathedral road and even the Marina beach, saw over 50 people standing in unison and raising slogans against the state government.

Meanwhile, Jallikattu would be held at Avaniapuram in the district on February 5 in which about 500 bulls would be used, officials said today.