Erode: The district hosted its first-ever bull taming sport at the AET Matriculation Higher Secondary School in the city on Saturday amidst much fanfare. Inaugurated by ministers K A Sengottaiyan, K C Karuppannan and Udumalai Radhakrishnan, the event featured 200 youths vying to tame 180 bulls. While some tamers sustained minor injuries, the event didn’t report any major casualty.The event began at 8.30am with district collector C Kathiravan administering an oath to the organizers and tamers that they would abide by the rules and don’t harm/harass the bulls that were brought from Trichy, Salem, Karur and Namakkal districts. The event concluded at 4pm. The ministers handed over prizes to those who tamed bulls. Similarly, owners of bulls, which were not caught by the tamers, were also given away prizes.The star of the event was P Karthik, 19, of Madurai, who tamed a total of 11 bulls. He took home a mobile phone, wristwatch and 11 gold coins, among other prizes. “I had participated in many events in Madurai and surrounding districts for the past three years,” said Karthick, who was given away the best bull tamer award.Earlier, member of Animal Welfare Board of India S K Mittal had inspected the event venue and appreciated the district administration for following safety measures strictly as prescribed by the board and the apex court. “The district has set an example for the entire state,” he had then said.Jallikattu was also conducted at Pottireddipatty in Namakkal on Saturday, featuring more than 400 bulls and 220 tamers.A total of 34 people, among them 27 spectators, were injured in the event that was inaugurated by ministers P Thangamani and V Saroja and district collector Asia Mariam. Four of them - P Madhan, 22, M Akash, 24 V Manikandan, 27, S Naveen, 25 and K Lokesh, 24 - have sustained intestinal injury and the condition of Lokesh is said to be critical, a source said.The event also saw the death of a bull. A bull that belonged to P Manikandan, 36, of Nariyankadu in Kolli Hills, barged into the crowd and later fell into a 50-ft well. Though fire and rescue services personnel rescued the bull from the well, it succumbed to its injuries on the way to veterinary hospital.

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