By Pramod Madhav: Two people were gored to death by bulls while participating in Manjuvirattu (a bull-chasing event) during a temple festival in Tamil Nadu’s Kandramanickam on Thursday. Six others sustained severe injuries.

As many as 252 bulls participated in the event, where 70 bull-takers attempted to tame the bulls. The event was inaugurated by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Minister Periyakaruppan.

During the ‘Kattu Maadu’ event, where the bulls are tied to a pole and tamers attempt to remove gifts tied to their horns, 32 men were injured, of which eight were hospitalised.

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Pandi from Pagaraikudi and Murugan from Melur succumbed to their injuries.

CM MK Stalin expressed his condolences to the grieving families and announced a solatium of Rs 3 lakh to each next of kin.

WHAT IS MANJUVIRATTU?

The term ‘Manjuvirattu’ refers to the traditional sport of bull-chasing, which is a type of Jallikattu practiced in various districts of Tamil Nadu such as Madurai, Pudukkottai, Theni, Thanjavur, and Salem. During the event, several bulls are released one by one from an enclosure through an opening. As each bull emerges, a person tries to cling onto its hump. The bull then attempts to shake off the person or hook them with its horns as it runs away.

To win the prize, the participant must hold onto the bull for a predetermined time and distance.

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