The jallikattu competition at Alagumalai village near Palladam in Tirupur district began this morning. More than 500 bull tamers and 650 bulls from Salem, Trichy, Karur, Namakkal, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Cuddalore and Villupuram districts participated in the competition.
Tirupur: A group of villagers in Alagumalai, near Palladam in Tirupur district, were protesting the jallikattu competition that was planned to take place this year during the Pongal holiday.
The game was postponed at this point. They said that if jallikattu is held, the agricultural areas in the area will be affected, and the bull tamers are behaving in such a way as to harass the people of the village. The case was dismissed thrice in the Madras High Court by Alagumalai panchayat president Pure Mani, who had filed a petition in the Madras High Court against jallikattu.
Jallikattu is being held today as the High Court has given permission to hold jallikattu. A large number of bull tamers from various districts including Salem, Trichy, Karur, Namakkal, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Kallakurichi and Madurai participated in the event.
Similarly, Bulls from various districts will also be participating. So far, tokens have been issued to 560 bull tamers. Tokens have also been issued to 650 bulls.
While the villagers are protesting against the jallikattu competition, security arrangements have been stepped up by the Tirupur district police to prevent any untoward incident.
M. P. Saminathan, Minister of Information and Publicity, and Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister Kayalvizhi Selvaraj inaugurated the jallikattu event.
Vineeth, Tirupur District Collector, Shashank Sai, District Superintendent of Police, and legislators attended the jallikattu event as special guests.
Bulls have been advised not to be given doping or irritants.
The bulls are suppressing the bulls tamer that are rushing out of the Vaadivaasal. Prizes such as gold coins, utensils, cots, cupboards, bicycles etc. are being distributed to the winning bulls and bull tamers.