Madurai: Maheswarii Marimuthu from Puducherry, who has been travelling across Tamil Nadu on her Bullet motorbike campaigning for jallikattu, was detained by the police in Madurai on Wednesday. Maheswarii was secured along with a few other jallikattu enthusiasts when she was heading towards Alanganallur, where the world famous Jallikattu used to be conducted during the Pongal festival every year until the Supreme Court banned the sport in 2014.
"I was shocked when the police detained me," Maheswarii told Deccan Chronicle. She started her journey from Puducherry on January 2 and reached Madurai on Tuesday night after travelling to Coimbatore, Chennai, Vellore, Krishnagiri and Salem. "I didn't face any problem while campaigning in all these districts. In fact people encouraged me and even provide food and shelter during night hours," she revealed.
On Wednesday morning, when she enthusiastically preparing to visit Alanganallur to learn more about the jallikattu bulls from the villagers, she received an invite from P Rajasekaran, the president of Jallikattu Peravai to meet him. After appreciating Maheswarii for campaigning to safeguard the Tamil ancient sport, Rajasekaran asked a few jallikattu enthusiasts to accompany her to Alanganallur and Palamedu. When she was nearing Sikkandar Chavadi, the police secured all of them along with their vehicles and detained them in a marriage hall.
Condemning their arrest, the Jallikattu Youth Front members staged a road roko near the hall demanding that the police release Maheswarii immediately. "Is campaigning to safeguard our tradition a crime," the members asked. Justifying the preventive arrest, a senior police officer said Maheswarii had not obtained prior permission for conducting a campaign at Alanganallur. She was also accompanied by a group of youth which was also a violation, the officer said.
Maheswarii, who was released by the police in the evening, said that she was unaware that 20 jallikattu enthusiasts were travelling along with her on bikes in the morning. "I have also informed the police about it," she said. Though she was born and brought up in urban centres, Maheswarii believes that only by conducting jallikattu is it possible to safeguard the rural economy. She also decided to finish her last leg of the campaign at Tirunelveli tomorrow.
