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Chaos on NH as bull race delayed

KRISHNAGIRI: A stretch of Krishnagiri-Bengaluru National Highways in Hosur here turned a war zone for a few hours on Thursday as thousands of people took to violent protests over the delay in granting nod for conducting erudhu vidum vizha (bull race).

A mob pelted stones and damaged more than a dozen government/private buses, besides police vehicles on the busy NH. More than 20 cops also sustained injuries and were admitted to GHs in Hosur and Krishnagiri.

As mandated by norms, a team of officials from multiple departments, including Animal Husbandry, police, revenue, medical services, PWD, Tangedco and Fire and Rescue Services were to hold an inspection to allow the conduct of the event.

However, by 5 am itself over 5,000 youth from different parts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh had descended at Gobasandiram village in Uddanapalli near Hosur with around 300 bulls. All arrangements were in place for the race.

However, the district administration sought to remain stringent in following norms as already three persons including an 11-year-old boy were gored to death at bull races across Krishnagiri during Pongal.

Irate over the delay in getting the inspection done, over 1,000 villagers gathered on the Krishnagiri-Bengaluru NH and blocked traffic by parking lorries and dumping gravel stones.

Even though officials from the Revenue department held talks and informed the protestors that they could conduct a bull race, the villagers refused to relent, alleging they were denied permission twice before after making all arrangements for the event. The crowd soon swelled and turned violent, with protesters hurling stones at police and vehicles.

As the situation turned tense, police resorted to lathicharge, used water cannons and shot tear gas canisters. Vehicles came to a grinding halt on the busy stretch for around 10 kilometres due to the blockade that stretched for around five hours from 6.30 am to 11.30 am.

Later in the day, police secured around 200 persons in connection with the violence.

Superintendent of Police Saroj Kumar Thakur said they were in the process of identifying the protestors by analysing the video and photos.

“A few cops were also injured in the attack,” he said.

Salem Range DIG S Rajeswari said 600 cops had to be roped in from four districts to be deployed to diffuse tension.

“Information granting permission to hold the bull race was conveyed to the organisers on time, but it was the spectators who resorted to the road roko. Normalcy has now been restored and vehicle traffic has been restored on the NH,” she said.

The bull race was later conducted following permission from Krishnagiri District Collector V Jaya Chandra Bhanu Reddy.

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2023-02-03T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-02-03T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://news.dtnext.in/article/281668259122696

Daily Thanthi