Madurai: Protests, including 'human chain' demonstration, were today staged by supporters of 'Jallikattu' in parts of the district seeking nod for conduct of the bull taming sport.
About 1,000 persons, including owners of bulls and bull tamers, held hands to form a chain and staged a demonstration at Alanganallur, near Madurai. They also took out a rally from Iyappan temple to Vadivasal, holding black flags, police said.
The protesters also included women. At Palamedu, near here, hundreds of people, including bull tamers and owners of bulls, staged a demonstration.
They took out a rally from the bus stand to Vadivasal, shouting slogans against the organisation, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). They also burnt an effigy of the organisation, police said.
Hundreds of police personnel had been deployed at Alanganallur and Palamedu where jallikattu is hugely popular.
The Supreme Court on January 12 had stayed a notification of the central government allowing the traditional sport of Jallikattu, a key element of Pongal festivities.
Supporters and organisers of the event had staged demonstrations following the ban and some people in these areas had tonsured their heads and blocked roads demanding conduct of the sport.
They also had staged demonstrations with their bulls in tow even as police disallowed such protests.
Prior to its ban by the UPA dispensation in 2011, Jallikattu was organised as a grand spectacle with the event in Alanganallur, Palamedu and Avaniyapuram in Madurai drawing huge crowds, including domestic and foreign audiences.
