Tamil Nadu police detains over 500 people for protesting in support of Jallikattu in Madurai

A large contingent of police personnel have been sent to the spot and more than 500 protestors were detained by the TN Police and the bulls brought for the sport were seized.

By: News Desk |
January 17, 2017 9:01 am

Defying the Supreme Court’s order, thousands of people gathered on the streets of Madurai’s Alanganallur town to organise the traditional sport of Tamil Nadu, Jallikattu on January 16.

But a large contingent of Police personnel have been sent to the spot and more than 500 protestors were detained by the TN Police and the bulls brought for the sport were seized.

Earlier, the protest in favour of the sports was so massive that the police also had to charge lathis on the crowd to dismantle the gathering.

People have also made several rangoli supporting Jallikattu and against PETA to express their rage for banning the game.

Tamil Nadu: More than 500 people detained by Police while protesting in support of #jallikattu in Alanganallur(Madurai)

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 17, 2017

Madurai (Tamil Nadu): Villagers protest in support of #jallikattu in Alanganallur, lathicharged by Police. Bull seized by Police pic.twitter.com/CZyEVxorQK

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 16, 2017

Madurai (Tamil Nadu): Villagers make black ‘rangoli’ in support of #jallikattu and against PETA in Alanganallur. pic.twitter.com/cSsscMzpF5

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 16, 2017

Madurai (Tamil Nadu): Villagers protest in support of #jallikattu in Alanganallur. Police at the spot pic.twitter.com/yMeEccf4dw

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 16, 2017

On January 12, the Supreme Court of India has dismissed the plea just two days prior to Pongal on the same and said that it can’t allow the sport in the state to happen. The SC said that the draft of the final judgement has been prepared but it is not possible to give a verdict before this Saturday when Pongal will be celebrated in Tamil Nadu.

Prior to this decision, TN Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and AIADMK general secretary Sasikala Natrajan had urged to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through letters, to legalise the sport in the state.

Soon after the SC gave its decision on this game, DMK criticised the Centre and the state government for this decision and called up a state-wide protest on January 13.