Jallikattu, Rekla held in TN: Alanganallur sees protests and tension as bulls let loose

Despite the controversial Supreme Court order banning jallikattu in Tamil Nadu, reports suggest that the bull-taming sport is being held in several spots in the state. Protests broke out at Alanganallur village in Madurai, which is one of the most famous jallikattu hot spots. Even as the police tried to prevent the event, some bulls were let loose, leading to excitement and tensions in the village.

In fact, several hundred people have gathered at Alanganallur. Tamil TV channels are beaming visuals live from the village, showing the bull being let loose into the crowd and men chasing it. However, ground reports maintain that jallikattu was not held, and that the bulls just went wild. There is heavy police presence in the area.

At Kambampatti village in Salem, jallikattu was held in the morning, but the police stopped it mid-way. However, media reports suggest that people gathered again later to hold it.

TV reports suggest that maanju virattu was also held at a village in Sivagangai district.

Villagers and village-level leaders in Sivagangai said that they will only hold maanju virattu and not jallikattu, but at the same time decried the SC verdict. “We don’t know about the SC verdict. Its orders are being flouted everywhere. Even in Andhra, cockfights were being held,” a village leader told the news channel.

Another passionate and angry woman in Alanganallur, speaking to PTTV, said, “We don’t want the police. We don’t want the courts. We don’t want to vote. We will not vote. We will hold jallikattu. We love our bulls, this is an insult to us.”

Meanwhile, rekla was conducted at a village in Tiruppur in the state, according to Thanthi TV.

At Palameedu in Madurai, the police have booked 16 people for holding jallikattu.