Politicians, actors join hundreds of pro-jallikattu protesters at Marina and Alanganallur

Even as the numbers swell in Alanganallur, the clamour to remove ban on jallikattu grows in TN capital.

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Pro-jallikattu protesters hit the streets of Chennai after around 220 people were detained in the wee hours of Tuesday in Madurai’s Alanganallur. Hundreds of people are gathered at the Marina beach in Chennai, holding banners and shouting slogans, demanding the release of those who have been detained by the police.

DMK working president MK Stalin, party MLA J Anbazhagan, Filmmaker T Rajendran, actor Mayilsamy etc have joined the protesters at Marina.

Being a MLA of Chepauk-Triplicane constituency, we have extended our support to the protesters at Marina with @mkstalin. #SaveJallikattu pic.twitter.com/J4v6eNQIWo — J Anbazhagan (@JAnbazhagan) January 17, 2017

Meanwhile, people are still pouring into Aranganallur, where protestors are gathered in huge numbers against the jallikattu ban. Not just residents of villages around Aranganallur, even people from other districts are reaching the protest spot after seeing media reports. In fact, many groups are mobilising support through social media channels like Whatsapp and Facebook.

Protest continues at Alanganallur. Photo - KK Sundar #JusticeforJallikattu pic.twitter.com/CDZYf5RFnw — gopu mohan (@gopumohan_TNIE) January 17, 2017

On Monday evening, about 300 protesters, most of them from outside Madurai district, refused to leave the protest spot unless the police opened the vaadivasal, the opening to the Jallikattu arena. Protesters sat in dharna, stating that they will not leave until the police allowed Jallikattu to happen.

Late in the night, AIADMK MLA and actor Karunas joined the protesters. There was rousing support for the protesters on social media. Supporters lit candles and sat huddled in a large group, even as hundreds of policemen stood guard around them.