Event organised to set a ‘record’

Two persons were gored to death and 43 others injured in a mega jallikattu, which was organised by Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar in a bid to create a “record” and flagged off by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami at Viralimalai in Pudukottai on Sunday. This is the first casualty at a jallikattu event this year.

Police said 1,353 bulls were released from the ‘vaadivaasal’ at the event in Mr. Vijay Baskar’s native district. Around 500 tamers took part in shifts.

A. Ramu, 32, a spectator from Soriampatti in Pudukottai district, and G. Sathish, 35, of Allur in Tiruchi, believed to be a bull owner, succumbed to injuries near the collection point.

Ramu died after sustaining an abdominal injury. Sathish was trying to catch his bull after the event when he was gored by another animal from behind, leading to his death at Government Hospital in Manapparai, said police.