1 killed, 75 hurt during Jallikattu in Madurai

One person was killed and 75 people sustained injuries as the three-day Jallikattu (bull taming sport) kicked off in Madurai on Tuesday, on the day of the harvest festival, "Pongal".

- Divya Chandrababu

CHENNAI: The event saw the participation of 1,100 bulls and 900 bull tamers, officials aware of the matter said.

The deceased was identified as a bull tamer, B Naveen Kumar, 22, who was gored to death by a bull, police said. "Kumar succumbed to the injuries at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai," an officer said on condition of anonymity.

Madurai district collector MS Sangeetha said, "75 people sustained injuries, and have been sent back home after treatment. Only one person died as the bull punctured his lungs. Of the 75 injured people, nearly 25 had major stitches. The condition of all those injured is stable."

Police said that all security measures were in place. However, visuals that surfaced on social media and local vernacular television channels showed that Kumar purportedly entered the arena carrying his toddler son when a bull was let loose.