Elderly Man Killed, 27 Injured During Bull Race at Pongal Festival in Tamil Nadu's Vellore

Vellore, Tamil Nadu: An elderly man lost his life, and at least 27 others sustained injuries during a bull race organised as part of Pongal festival celebrations at Govinda Reddipalayam village in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday.

The incident occurred during Eruthuvittal Vizha, a traditional bull race held in connection with Pongal festivities, during which raging bulls charged through the arena amid a large crowd of spectators.

According to officials, the deceased has been identified as Thilagar (65), a resident of Kattukanur village near Kannamangalam in Tiruvannamalai district. He had come to Govinda Reddipalayam to visit his daughter, Bhuvaneswari, for the Pongal festival, and was standing near the finishing area when a bull gored him. He died on the spot due to the impact.

The bull race was organised at Govinda Reddipalayam near Ariyur, with more than 100 bulls taking part in the event. Over 5,000 spectators from Vellore district and neighbouring areas had gathered to witness the traditional festival.

Police said that 27 persons, including Sathuvachari Police Inspector Vijayabhaskaran, who was on duty at the finishing point, sustained minor injuries after being hit by the bulls. All the injured were administered first aid at a temporary medical camp set up at the venue.

The body of the deceased has been sent to the Vellore Government Medical College Hospital at Adukkamparai for post-mortem examination. Ariyur police have registered a case, and further investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, as part of the ongoing Pongal festival celebrations, a grand Jallikattu event was organised at Vadamalapuram near Pudukkottai, drawing large crowds from surrounding areas. The event was held at the Pidari Amman and Karuppar temples and jointly organised by the villages of Rajavayal, Vadamalapuram and Gurukalaiyapatti.

Jallikattu, a centuries-old traditional sport of Tamil Nadu, is observed on the third day of Pongal. The term is derived from the Tamil words 'Jalli', meaning silver and gold coins, and 'Kattu', meaning tied. During the event, a bull is released into a crowd, and participants attempt to tame it by holding its hump to retrieve the coins tied to its horns.

Pulikkulam or Kangayam breeds are commonly used for the sport. Bulls that perform well during the festival are in high demand and often fetch high prices in the market.