Chennai: Nearly 1,000 bulls and 900 tamers are expected to participate in the 4th edition of Jallikkattu (bull taming sport) to be held in Coimbatore on 21 February, in compliance with Covid-19 safety norms, Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani said.He noted that 940 bulls and 745 tamers had participated in the previous edition of the event held at Chettipalayam.
All the bulls and tamers will be subjected to medical check up before the event and registered only if they are medically fit, he said at a function.
The Supreme Court (SC) in 2014 banned ‘Jallikattu’ after a plea was filed by the Animal Welfare Board of India and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) but the state government insisted that Jallikattu was a crucial part of its culture and identity.
The ban was later lifted in January 2017 with an amendment to the law after massive protests in Chennai.