MADURAI/TIRUCHY: One person was killed and 114 persons, including 14 tamers and 3 policemen, were injured in jallikattu events held at different places in Madurai and Tiruchy districts on Tuesday.
At Palamedu in Madurai district, the first round of the contest began around 6.45 am away from the usual time. The bulls were allowed to run through the ‘Vaadivaasal’ after screening by veterinarians.
Totally ten rounds were held. Prabhakaran of Pothumbu village in Madurai district, who tamed 14 bulls, won the first prize – car - sponsored by Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin. Tamilarasan of Chinnapatti village in Madurai, who clinched the second place, was presented with a motorbike.
Among the bulls, ‘Rocket Chinnakaruppu’ from Pudukottai excelled and its owner received a car as first prize sponsored by Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Earlier, Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration P Moorthy flagged off the event.
The lone death of the day happened at a Manjuvirattu held in Eliyarpathi in Madurai district. A spectator identified as Ramesh, who was gored by a bull, suffered grievous injuries and was rushed to the government hospital, where he died without responding to treatment.
Meanwhile, as many as 72 persons, including a police sub-inspector, were injured during the jallikattu at Sooriyur in Tiruchy district. Around 358 tamers and 658 bulls participated in the event, which was flagged off by the Tiruchy RDO Parthiban and the Sri Narkadalkudi Karuppasamy temple bull was released first as per tradition to mark the inauguration of the sport.
Karthik from Namakkal, who was adjudged the best tamer, was awarded a two-wheeler.