Jallikattu festival: Police warns of action against those defying SC ban

Amid protests against the ban on Jallikattu, police on Sunday said action would be taken against those violating the Supreme Court order on the bull taming sport associated with Pongal festivities.

“Around 2,000 police personnel are keeping a vigil across the district. We have taken steps to provide security in the area,” Madurai District Superintendent of Police, Vijayendar S Bidari said.

Sufficient police force has been deployed in the district to avoid any untoward incident, he said.

Referring to ‘Mattu Pongal’, he said: “Last year also when there was a ban, people took bulls to offer puja. Compared to bulls taken for Jallikattu without a rope, these bulls are tied to a rope to offer puja. But some miscreants released two or three such bulls today.”

The police personnel safely cleared the bulls that were released on the roads, he said.

Bidari denied reports that Jallikattu was conducted.

Asked about people staging protests by holding black flags and placards condemning the PETA, he said, “We are advising public about the Supreme Court order and asking them to cooperate.”

“Those who did not cooperate, we are taking action against them as per law,” he said.

“Everyone should follow the (SC) order. Everybody should be aware that we will take action as per the law. People should cooperate,” he said when it was pointed out that the sport is also held on ‘Kanum Pongal’, the fourth and final day of Pongal festivities, at Alanganallur.

The Supreme Court had on Thursday said it could not give its verdict on Jallikattu before Pongal even as political parties cutting across party lines had demanded from the Centre promulgation of an ordinance to allow the sport.