36 injured in Jallikattu in Avaniapuram

Thirty-six people were injured, one of them seriously, in a jallikattu event held at Avanipuram in Madurai district amid high security on Sunday, in which more than 900 bulls were used, police said.

People from several parts of Tamil Nadu arrived at Madurai to participate in the event.

“We are conducting Jallikattu in accordance with the government’s order and taking care of all the aspects. We have deployed the concerned teams.

We are ensuring the safety of the bull and the participants. Injured people have been referred to the hospital and they are stable now,” collector K Veera Raghava Rao said.

Top officials of the district and police administrations, including Superintendent of Police, were also present at the venue.

Police said all precautionary measures, including mandatory medical tests for bulls and participants as laid down by the state government, were taken before the conduct of the traditional rural sport.

The decision to hold the jallikattu in Avaniyapuram on February 5, Palamedu on February 9 and Alanganallur on February 10 was announced by the respective village heads.