Madurai, Jan 16: Protests, including ‘human chain’ demonstration, were staged by supporters of ‘Jallikattu’ on Saturday in parts of the district seeking nod for conduct of the bull taming sport.
About 1,000 persons, including owners of bulls and bull tamers, held hands to form a chain and staged a demonstration at Alanganallur, near here. They also took out a rally from Iyappan temple to Vadivasal, holding black flags, police said.
The protesters also included women. At Palamedu, near here, hundreds of people, including bull tamers and owners of bulls, staged a demonstration.
They took out a rally from the bus stand to Vadivasal, shouting slogans against the organisation, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). They also burnt an effigy of the organisation, police said. The Supreme Court on January 12 had stayed a notification of the central government allowing the traditional sport of Jallikattu, a key element of Pongal festivities.
Prior to its ban by the UPA dispensation in 2011, Jallikattu was organised as a grand spectacle with the event in Alanganallur, Palamedu and Avaniyapuram in Madurai drawing huge crowds, including domestic and foreign audiences.
