SALEM: Three people, including an elderly spectator, were killed in separate incidents during manjuvirattu events held near Gangavalli and Attur in Salem district during the Pongal festival.
In the first incident, a manjuvirattu event organised at Sentharapatti near Gangavalli turned tragic when Sakthivel, a resident, sustained severe injuries after being gored by a bull. He died while being taken to the Thammampatti Government Primary Health Centre.
At a manjuvirattu event held near a school at Kondayampalli, Vinitha (30), wife of Jagatheesan, was spectating when she was attacked by a bull and sustained severe injuries. He died on the spot.
Following these incidents, Thammampatti police rushed to both locations and stopped the events, stating that they were conducted without proper permission and in the absence of mandatory safety measures such as barricades, medical teams, and crowd control arrangements.
In a third incident at Keeripatti village near Attur, Periyasamy (65), a spectator, was gored by a bull and died on the spot.
Salem District Superintendent of Police Gautam Goyal said permission for the manjuvirattu events had been denied, but they were conducted despite the refusal. “We have registered cases in connection with the incidents, and legal action will be taken against those responsible,” he said.
Manjuvirattu, unlike jallikattu, is conducted in open fields where bulls move freely among participants and spectators. While the state government has issued a comprehensive standard operating procedure (SOP) to be strictly followed for the conduct of jallikattu in 2026, manjuvirattu continues to be organised in its traditional open-field format, often without regulated enclosures or adequate safety arrangements. Locals say this lack of controlled space and safety measures contributed to fatal incidents.