TIRUCHY: An elderly spectator was gored to death while 55 persons including tamers sustained injuries in the annual jallikattu event held at Rachandar Thirumalai (RT Malai) in Karur on Thursday.
On account of the annual jallikattu event in RT Malai near Thogaimalai, as many as 733 bulls and 372 tamers took part from various districts including Karur, Tiruchy and Pudukkottai.
The event kickstarted after an oath-taking ceremony by the tamers in the arena and the bull belonging to Karaiyuran temple was released to mark the commencement of the event that was flagged off by the State Minister V Senthilbalaji.
While the tamers were vying with the bulls, Kulanthaivel (65), a spectator from Kulumani near Srirangam in Tiruchy went to relieve him in a secluded place near the gallery.
A bull that was running amok in the arena gored him on his neck and Kulanthaivel fell unconscious. He was rushed to the Tiruchy GH but he succumbed to the injuries. As many as 55 persons including six tamers and 12 bull owners sustained injuries and were undergoing treatment.
Karthik from Erumaipatti in Namakkal who tamed as many as 21 bulls was adjudged as the best tamer and was presented a two-wheeler, while Sudarsan from Lalgudi in Tiruchy who tamed 17 bulls was given second prize also a two- wheeler.
Meanwhile, the bull owned by Kathiravan from Madurai was given the first prize of a car in the name of Deputy Chief Minister Udayanidhi Stalin and the second prize of a refrigerator was given to the bull owned by Prabakaran from RT Malai.