Protest on Chennai-B'luru NH for denying permission to bull race

TIRUCHY: A protest by hundreds of villagers, who blocked the Chennai- Bengaluru National Highways against denying permission for bull racing (‘erudhu vidum vizha’) turned violent in Krishnagiri on Thursday.

Several buses and police vehicles were damaged as the protestors hurled stones condemning the district administration for refusing permission for conducting the bull race. Police sources said that around 20 cops were also injured in the attack by a mob of violent villagers.

Infuriated by police refusing permission for a bull race organised by villagers of Gopasandaram near Hosur, they blocked the National Highways and brought vehicle movement to a grinding halt for more than three hours.

As the situation went out of control, the police resorted to lathi charge, engaged water cannons and used tear gas bombs to disperse the crowd.

Over 300 cops, including those roped in from neighbouring districts, have been deployed to restore normalcy. Around 200 villagers involved in the protest were taken into custody in connection with the violence. Following violent protests, Krishnagiri District Collector V Jaya Chandra Bhanu Reddy gave permission for conducting the bull race.