Twenty six-year-old Thirunavakarasu, a student pursuing aeronautical engineering in Delhi, had been among the many spectators excited to witness the 'grandiose' bull taming sport that has come to be associated with Tamil culture.
According to reports, the organisers were setting a “Jallikattu record” by releasing 560 bulls into the vadi vasal in just eight hours. But for Thirunavakarasu, this attempt to set a record at M Pudhur in Sivagangai district, proved to be fatal.
One of the bulls charging at the participants entered the spectator arena and gored the student to death. He was not the only victim – a 40-year-old spectator, Baskaran from Pazhanivasal, reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest, triggered by a bull charging towards him.
These deaths have only added to the increasing number of casualties Tamil Nadu has seen since the ordinance allowing Jallikattu was promulgated on 21 February. Two days after the ordinance was enforced, the Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passed the Jallikattu bill, allowing the sport to be conducted.