2 gored to death, dozens injured in bullfighting in India's Tamil Nadu

NEW DELHI, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Two people, including a boy, were gored to death and dozens injured Wednesday by bulls during Jallikattu, a local bullfighting sport, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, police said.

The incident took place at Siravayal in Sivaganga district, about 425 km southwest of Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu.

"Two spectators -- a boy and a youth in his thirties -- were gored to death and over 40 were injured in Siravayal during Jallikattu event," a senior police official said.

According to police, the incident did not take place during the main Jallikattu event, but after the run when the bull owners had assembled to collect their animals.

"After the main run when the bulls were outside the arena, they ran amok injuring spectators," the police official said. "A total of 186 bulls were part of this Jallikattu event which is still underway."

The deaths and injuries to spectators have raised a question mark on the safety measures in place for the bullfighting sport.

On Tuesday, at least 60 people were injured during a similar event at Palamedu in Madurai district, reports said.

Jallikattu sport is traditionally a part of the harvest festival of Pongal across Tamil Nadu. It involves men chasing a bull attempting to grab its hump and ride it for as long as possible or stopping it and removing a piece of cloth affixed to its horns.

Prizes such as cars, motorbikes, and gold coins are up for grabs at many of these events.