TRICHY: Defying a Supreme Court ban, Anbil village near Lalgudi in Trichy district organized a jallikattu on Saturday morning with 65 bulls and 40 tamers. The nearest police station, about 10 km away, turned a blind eye as villagers gathered in the square called Mariamman Thidal, and cheered the participants as they tried to "tame" the bulls. The event is said to have started at 10am and went on until noon. The village has been organizing the bull sport for more than three decades, locals told TOI proudly. A video clip of the event was circulated among mediapersons.
The bulls were brought from several neighbouring villagers and kept ready a couple of days ahead of the event. About 600 villagers gathered at the venue where the event was organized by village heads despite the Supreme Court last week staying an Union government notification allowing bull-taming and bullock cart racing. A villager, who witnessed the Anbil event, told TOI on condition of anonymity, that "no one was injured". As the sport got under way, several spectators too joined in, trying to cling to the bulls' hump as it ran for a short distance, he said.