Another spectator who was seriously injured during Alanganallur jallikattu in Madurai on January 16, succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday while undergoing treatment at Government Rajaji Hospital. 

Selvamurugan, aged 48, a native of Theni district, who visited the Alanganallur jallikattu on the last day of Pongal festival was hit by a raging bull at the bull collection point.  

Police said, he stood near the bull collection point, where the bull owners tie up their bulls after it is released from the ‘vaadivasal.’ 

At the same event, another spectator P. Periyasamy (55) of Vadipatti who sustained injuries by a bull hit died on the same day at GRH. 

Doctors at GRH said, Selvamurugan sustained injuries on his right chest which exposed his lung parenchymal tissue. 

Along with this, he suffered multiple rib fractures. Due to heavy injuries, he could not be saved, doctors added.  

Police sources said, the continuous death of spectators at jallikattu events was due to their inability to move away deftly when a bull approaches them. 

“As the bull collection point would be crowded with bulls and their owners, no one knows which bull will emerge from which direction,” he added.  

When the public are interested in seeing the bull owners trying to tie them up, they miss noticing things happening around them.