Participants try to tame a bull during the Avaniapuram Jallikattu in Madurai on January 14, 2025.
| Photo Credit: G. Moorthy
The jallikkattu event at Avaniapuram in Madurai on the first day of Pongal festival ended with the death of a bull tamer on January 14, 2025.
As many as 75 of the 620 bull tamers who participated were injured during 11 rounds of the jallikkattu event. Of the 75, 30 suffered multiple injuries and 45 sustained minor injuries.
Organisers said, bull tamer B. Naveen Kumar, 22, who suffered serious injuries, succumbed to his injuries at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in the city. Eleven others were referred to the hospital for further treatment.
Of the 736 bulls that participated in the event five sustained minor injuries, organisers said.
Winners
Karthik, who tamed 19 bulls during the event, bagged the first place. He was awarded a car, a cow and a calf.
Second place was bagged by Divakar, who tamed 15 bulls, and was awarded a bike.
Malaiyandi, whose bull stayed on the field for 60 seconds, bagged the first prize and was awarded a tractor, a cow and a calf.
G.R. Karthik’s bull, which stayed for 47 seconds on the field, bagged the second prize, and was awarded a bike.
Tamil Nadu Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration P. Moorthy along with Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services P.T.R. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan handed over the prizes to the winners. Madurai District Collector M.S. Sangeetha, Commissioner of Police (Madurai city) J. Loganathan, Corporation Commissioner C. Dinesh Kumar, Mayor Indrani Pon Vasanth and others participated.
Arrangements at venue
Police personnel were deployed at the venue to ensure the safety of the people.
A team of Indian Red Cross Society volunteers assisted the participants who were injured, and Animal Husbandry Department officials examined the bulls.
Ambulances and fire engines were also deployed at the venue while 16 general physicians and nine specialists of the GRH and district headquarters hospital were on duty at the location. For the first time, a mobile X-ray unit was set up at the location for instant examination of the injured.
An ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) unit was also placed at the location. A senior police officer said that the event largely ended incident-free.
On Wednesday (January 15, 2025), Jallikkattu is to be held in Palamedu and on January 16, the famous Alanganallur Jaillikattu will be held in the district.
Published – January 14, 2025 08:07 pm IST
