TIRUCHY: Inaugurating the district’s first jallikattu for the year at Periya Suriyur, Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Wednesday also handed out to the organisers the government order on the construction of a multi-sport arena in the village, which is expected to serve as a permanent venue for conducting the bull-taming event.
Work on the Rs 3-crore facility is expected to commence within a month. Meanwhile, a bull let out during the event in the village died after colliding with another near the vaadi vaasal, sources said.
The jallikattu at Periya Suriyur saw the participation of 681 bulls and 349 bull tamers from across the state. Ranjith of Navalpattu tamed 13 bulls during the event to win the first prize given away as a two-wheeler. Minister Poyyamozhi awarding a prize to ‘Chinna Komban’, a bull owned by former AIADMK minister C Vijaya Baskar, during the event drew widespread attention.
Meanwhile, 15 bull tamers, 35 bull owners and 37 spectators sustained injuries during the event. While 15 of them were referred to MGMGH for advanced treatment, others who sustained injuries were sent away after administration of first aid on-site.
Further, a bull owned by Sellappa of Thiruvalarsolai died after colliding with another hoofed animal near the vaadi vaasal. The carcass was transported to the government veterinary hospital at Palakkarai for autopsy.