Jallikattu: 2 Gored To Death By Bull, One Dies During Protest In Tamil Nadu

Three persons died, two during Jallikattu and one during a demonstration at Madurai, as the bull-taming sport was on Sunday conducted in various parts of Tamil Nadu.

Protests forced chief Minister O Panneerselvam to leave for Chennai without inaugurating a Jallikattu event at Alanganallur in Maduria, where protesters sought a “permanent solution” to ensure unhindered conduct of the sport every year.

After the Supreme Court's ban on Jallikattu, an ordinance promulgated by the state government had paved the way for holding the sport in several parts of the state.

Police said two persons were killed and 28 injured after being gored by a bull at Rapoosal.

Another person, a 48-year-old man from Jaihindpuram, died due to dehydration in Madurai city while take part in the protests along with students and youths, demanding a permanent solution for holding jallikattu.

At the Marina beach, epicentre of the stir for the last six days, protesters continued to stay put demanding a permanent solution, besides a ban on animal rights group PETA.

Groups of agitators continued their protests at several other locations in the state.

Speaking to reporters at Madurai before leaving for Chennai, Panneerselvam said, "The ban on Jallikattu has been removed completely."

Panneerselvam said the “state's Jallikattu ordinance route is permanent, robust and sustainable, will be made into a law in the coming Assembly session".

Panneerselvam, who had announced that he would inaugurate Jallikattu at Alanganallur, had to stay back in a hotel in Madurai following a protest seeking a permanent solution.

Panneerselvam was later expected to inaugurate a bull-taming event at Natham Kovilpatti in Dindigul, but protesters raised the same demand.

Following unrelenting protests, DMK and other opposition parties urged the Centre to take steps for conducting the sport annually without any hindrance.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has filed a caveat in the Supreme anticipating challenge to its ordinance allowing Jallikattu in the state.

Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao had on Saturday approved the Jallikattu ordinance.

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed not to pass a judgement for a week on the Jallikattu issue after taking into account the Centre's submission that they were in talks with Tamil Nadu to find a way out in the matter.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had then mentioned the matter before a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and R Banumati that people of Tamil Nadu were "passionate" about Jallikattu and the Centre and the state were trying to resolve the issue.

"The Centre and the state are in talks to find a way out in the matter and our request is that the court should not deliver the judgement for at least a week," Rohatgi told the bench.

On hearing the AG's brief submission, the bench said "okay".