PALAMEDU(TN): Nearly 80 people were injured during Jallikattu, the traditional bull-fight sport held here on Wednesday under tight security, a day after the Supreme Court granted conditional permission to Tamil Nadu government for holding the event to mark the Pongal festival in the state.
The event attracted hundreds of participants and spectators from the district as well as from the neighbouring areas.
According to police, nearly 80 of the 350 participants permitted to tame the bulls by holding on to their humps, sustained injuries, 14 out of them seriously.
However, their condition was stable, police added.
"The participants got injured in their attempt to subdue the bulls. They were either gored by the bulls, which were released one by one to the ground, or were tossed off," police officials told.
Wednesday's event was held amidst tight security and direct supervision of top police and district officials.
Every year several people are killed and hundreds get injured while trying to hold to the hump of the bull for more than a certain distance in order to win the contest.
As many as 500 bulls and 350 men took part in the event, which was manned by about 300 police personnel.
The main 'Jallikattu' event would be held on Thursday at Alanganallur near here in which even foreign tourists were expected to watch the sport.
