Madurai: The Jallikattu casualty count in Tamil Nadu grew to three on Tuesday after two more people were gored to death by a bull in Sivagangai district.
This comes after a 19-year-old was gored to death by a bull In Madurai on Monday.
The two deceased have been identified as 45-year-old Ramanathan from Karaikudi and 45-year-old Kashi from Pudukottai.
On Monday, 19-year-old Kalimuthu was gored to death by a bull at the end of the bull taming enclosure, known as the ‘collection point’.
Kalimuthu, was a participant in the first round of the event and was attacked by a bull at the collection point few minutes before the event concluded.
"Kalimuthu was out after his turn in the event and he was playing with the bull outside the arena in an open space when the bull attacked him," Madurai collector Veera Raghava Rao told CNN News18.
The ring and corridors through which the bulls ran out were barricaded to keep the non-participants at a distance and ensure public safety. Kalimuthu, who was injured when the bull's horns pierced through him, was taken to a nearby hospital but was declared brought dead.
A rural sport played in the state, Jallikattu grabbed national attention only after last year's massive protests.
Jallikattu is a sport that involves taming a bull. The bull is released into a crowd of people and the participants try to hold on to its hump or horns. The event is celebrated on Mattu Pongal, which is the third day of the popular harvest festival.
The tradition derives its name from the Tamil words "salli" which means coins and "kattu" which means package. This refers to the prize of coins that is tied to the horns of the bulls, which participants try to retrieve.
If the taming attempt is unsuccessful, the bull's owner takes home the prize.
The Supreme Court had banned Jallikattu in 2014 after animal rights activists said it constitutes extreme animal cruelty. After massive protests, Tamil Nadu enacted a law last year to bypass the apex court's ruling.
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