Coimbatore: One killed in Chettipalayam during jallikattu

COIMBATORE: What started as a grand celebration ended on a tragic note with one bull tamer being killed in the jallikattu that was held at Chettipalayam here on Sunday. While another one tamer is battling for life in the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), 15 others are undergoing treatment at various hospitals.
Police identified the deceased as Subash Chandra Bose, 26, of Viralimalai in Pudukottai district. He was knocked down by a bull.
Chettipalayam has been known for motorsports events, thanks to Kari Motor Speedway. But on Sunday, the place in suburban Coimbatore came alive with large crowd flocking to the area to witness a ‘sport’ of different kind – jallikattu.
More than 800 bulls from across the state and as many bull tamers had landed at Chettipalayam for the third consecutive annual jallikattu.
The event was flagged off by local administration minister S P Velumani in the presence of Isha Yoga Foundation founder Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and district collector K Rajamani. “The pride of TamilNadu, Jallikattu is a fantastic expression of the natural valour and spirit of adventure of the Tamil Youth. This iconic event should be developed as a wonderful sport with proper rules and attention to safety of all including the animals,” Jaggi Vasudev tweeted after watching the event.
As the bulls were released from the vadivasal one after the other, the adrenaline rush among the bull tamers was palpable as they attempted to cling to the hump of the majestic bulls. Some of the tamers managed to cling to the hump for a while in a symbolic victory over the beast, while several bulls outdid the tamers and went untouched.
But around afternoon, several tamers started suffering injuries. Subash was knocked down by a bull and he was rushed to CMCH, where he died. Sixteen others, who suffered injuries, were sent to a private hospital from where six were referred to CMCH. “The condition of one of them is critical,” police said.