Jallikattu - Vigil Online

Jallikattu
An event of barbaric animal cruelty
Report- 1
by
Prakash Sasha
Jan 2012
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Introduction:
Various rules, regulations & law about Jallikattu were formed in the recent years. Primary focus of all
Introduction
these governing rules, law etc was about regulating the arena were the bull faces the matadors.
This report apart from discussing cruelty in the arena, brings to light some other key stages were
unimaginable animal cruelty exits in Jallikattu and is ignored.
Photos from three Jallikattu events (Avaniapuram 15th Jan 2012, Alanganallur 17th Jan 2012 and
Palamedu 16th Jan 2012) which convey cruelty at various stages are presented in this report
Stages of Jallikattu:
Stage-1: Hundreds of bulls stand in squeezed queue to enter the arena
Stage-2: Animals enter in to the arena using the enclosed entry gate called Vaadi Vasal
Stage-3: Arena where the bulls face the matadors
Stage-4: Arena end point where the bulls are chased by owners of bull and the public
Ignored Cruelty in Stage – 1: Bull waiting in queue to enter arena:
The number of bulls registered for each Jallikattu event goes to several hundred ( between 400
to 500 bulls) causing a complete chaos in the waiting area with several animals squeezed for
space
The animals stand in such packed queues in blistering heat for several hours the whole day
without fodder or water
The nose rope is continuously dragged to control the bull which leads pain and bleeding wounds
Many animals are forced to walk for several kilo meters till the place where the event is
conducted and then immediately dumped in the queue.
Ignored Cruelty in Stage – 2: Bull entry point in to the arena:
Cruelty level increase manifold in this point which is an enclosed area where only one bull can
stand and it’s a one way mode. Once bulls enter this enclosure then they cannot return back as
the gates are closed.
Bulls on seeing the crowd of matadors refuse to enter the arena and try to return back to the
waiting area
Bulls are brutally hit with sticks and with hand to force them in to the arena
Their tails are squeezed and bent to force them in to the arena
Even police men are involved in this process of hitting the animal at entry point (or) they stand as
mere spectators without taking any action on violators of the law.
Cruelty in Stage – 3: Arena:
Bulls are controlled by too many matadors jumping on them
Bulls neck is twisted
Bulls head is thrashed on the floor
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Injured bulls are forced to participate in Jallikattu
Bulls without horns are forced to participate
Some short & tiny breeds of bulls that cannot resist the mob of matadors are forced to
participate.
Weak dehydrated bulls are forced to participate
Ignored Cruelty in Stage – 4: End Point (after crossing the arena):
Bulls are chased by owners as well as public on un-fenced roads
Huge mob of public beat the animal when it runs for its life
Crowd screams in high volume increasing the fear of the animal
There is no clear guiding path for the bull to follow and settle down
All the above points results in animal hitting vehicles on the road , falling down on the rough tar
road , jumping in to crowd to escape, falling from a high raised platform, hitting the barricades.
While running accidentally hitting and injuring adults as well as children standing on the road.
Problems related to infrastructure and venue
Avaniapuram (Madurai District) :
This place is NOT suitable for conducting Jallikattu as it is part of crowded city with houses and
shops jam packed.
There is no proper area where the bull can settle down after crossing the arena
This venue is high risk zone as the bull is forced to run in the crowded street of the city leading to
injury to general public as well as bulls
Multiple roads branch at this end point leading to confusion among bulls on which way to run for
their life, finally bulls end up falling, hitting barricades, shops , vehicles, people etc.
Palamedu (Madurai District):
Police personnel sit in a tractor inside arena near the entry point leading to serious danger to
animal as the bulls hit the tractor ( please refer the sketch )
A concrete lamp post is very close to the entry point which poses a huge danger to animals that
run & jump to escape from matadors
The end point after arena has three roads branching which in turn confuses the animal and leads
to animal running and falling on the road.
There is an open river bed without fencing leading to animals jumping from an 8 foot wall in to
the river bed to escape.
Alanganallur (Madurai District):
The entry point and the running path are at 90 degree angle leading to a confusion for the bull on
which way to run and finally bull hits the fence opposite to the entry point
Police personnel sit in a tractor inside arena near the entry point leading to serious danger to
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animal as the bulls hit the tractor.
Cruelty Stage – 1
Hundreds of
Animals squeezed
in queue for
several hours with
nose rope
dragged tightly
without fodder &
water and with
bleeding wounds
Cruelty Stage – 2
One way entry
point in to arena
where the animal
is hit badly and
forced in to arena
Cruelty Stage – 3
Arena
Cruelty Area – 4
Parallel Jallikattu
Unfenced open
area where
animal is chased
with ropes as the
mob screams
and beats the
animal and
ensures that the
animal falls
Ignored
Cruelty
Ignored
Cruelty
Focus of
Court,
Jallikattu Act
and Media
Ignored
Cruelty
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Infrastructure & venue related potential
dangers to bulls in Palamedu Jallikattu
Bulls entry point
Danger 1: Blue Object (Rectangle) :
Tractor where police stand near
entry which causes potential
danger to animals jumping on the
tractor
Danger 2: Red Object (Circle):
Concrete lamp post near entry
causing injury to bulls hitting the
lamp post
ARENA
Exit
Route
Danger 3: Place where
multiple routes confuse the
bulls running in full speed and
make them skid on the hard tar
road or jump from a 8 foot wall
Danger 4: Empty River
bed on the side without
fencing.
(Place where terrified
bulls running in full
speed jump from a
height of 8 feet. Please
refer photo)
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CRUELTY STAGE - 1
WAITING AREA
(Before entering
arena)
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Cruelty Stage 1: Waiting Area: Palamedu:
Hundreds of bulls squeezed in queue for
several hours in hot sun without fodder or
water, with nose rope dragged hardly by the
owners inflicting pain and bloody wounds.
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CRUELTY STAGE - 2
ARENA ENTRY POINT
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Cruelty Stage 2: Entry Point: Alanganallur:
A tiny bull fearing to enter the arena seeing
the huge mob of matadors
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Cruelty Stage 2: Entry Point: Palamedu:
Bull with injured eye dragged in to entry point
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Cruelty Stage 2: Entry Point: Palamedu:
Once the entry point back door is closed there
is no other option for the bull than being
trapped and face the huge mob of matadors
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Cruelty Stage 2: Entry Point: Palamedu:
A bull which was never exposed to Jallikattu
out of fear turns back and tries to escape thru
the small gap in the metal gate
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Cruelty Stage 2: Entry Point: Palamedu:
The same bull out of fear turns back breaks
the metal gate and tries to escape. A man
with green shirt attacks the animal with a
stick with group of police being mere
spectator
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Cruelty Stage 2: Entry Point: Palamedu:
The same bull pounces in to the queue of
waiting bulls creating a complete havoc
among all bulls
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Cruelty Stage 2: Entry Point: Palamedu:
The same bull tries to escape by breaking the
barricade. A man is dragging its tail. Finally
this animal was forced in to the arena.
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Cruelty Stage 2: Entry Point: Palamedu:
A bull dragged in to arena with force
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Cruelty Stage 2: Entry Point: Avaniapuram:
A bull’s tail twisted by its owner to force the
animal in to the arena
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Cruelty Stage 2: Entry Point: Avaniapuram:
A bull due to fear of facing the mob jumps
back on the red colour door and tries to
escape (photo shot in top view)
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CRUELTY STAGE - 3
ARENA
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Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Avaniapuram
Bull’s left horn broken in Jallikattu
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Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Avaniapuram
Bull made to fall with head down position by
twisting its neck on the floor
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Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Avaniapuram:
Bull head thrashed on the floor by twisting its
neck
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Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Avaniapuram:
Bull with injured ears was forced in to the
arena
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Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Alanganallur:
Matadors’ jumping on the bull even before
the bull enters the arena
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Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Alanganallur:
Tiny breeds of bull that are weak and which
cannot fight against the mob are also forced
to participate
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Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Alanganallur:
Bulls head thrashed on the floor
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Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Alanganallur:
Why hundreds of matadors for a single bull?
Is this an event of valor?
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Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Alanganallur:
Infrastructure problem: Having a tractor
inside the arena for police to sit which led to
bulls hitting the tractor and getting injured
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Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Alanganallur:
Tail pulling even though banned is still done
and these matadors are not removed from
the arena
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Cruelty Stage 3: Arena: Alanganallur:
Steel cupboards and cots are given as gift and
even before these items are carried away
from the arena bulls are let inside the arena
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CRUELTY STAGE - 4
END POINT
(Unfenced area after
arena)
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Cruelty Stage 4: End Point: Avaniapuram:
Bull running in full speed as the crowd
screams & attacks the bull in an unfenced
area on the crowded road with shops and
houses on both sides.
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Cruelty Stage 4: End Point: Avaniapuram:
Bull running in full speed to escape form
chasing mob of public skids due to water on
road.
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Cruelty Stage 4: End Point: Avaniapuram:
Bull running to avoid the chasing crowd hits
the ambulance which is parked blocking the
way where the bulls run.
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Cruelty Stage 4: End Point: Avaniapuram:
Bull running to avoid the chasing crowd hits
the vehicles parked on road.
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Cruelty Stage 4: End Point: Avaniapuram:
To avoid the mob standing on the bulls’ path,
bull pounces in to the crowd trying to find a
way to escape
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Cruelty Stage 4: End Point: Avaniapuram:
Bull not knowing which way to escape jumps
on the barricade and returns to the arena
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Cruelty Stage 4: End Point: Palamedu:
Bull jumping in full speed in to the empty
river bed from an 8 foot wall to avoid the
chasing mob
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Conclusion:
The animal cruelty depicted in this report is only a minor sample.
If anyone visits the place where the actual Jallikattu event
happens they will definitely realize the cruelty is 100 times more
than what is presented here.
Jallikattu is an event which involves several hundreds of bulls and
thousands of people that cannot be regulated (or) controlled in
any manner.
Any form of law or rules or regulation are not enforced in the
field level and the mob is uncontrollable at the field
The complexity of the event is so high that bringing in any
positive change by providing certain guidelines or rules finally will
be in vain (as it is witnessed for the past few years)
We pray that the honorable court considering all the facts
presented in this report, bring in a complete BAN on this cruel
Jallikattu that puts people as well as animals life in to risk and
subjects animals to enormous cruelty violating the “Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Act”.
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