Everything was going smoothly, all security and safety arrangements seemed flawless. And then tragedy struck at this year’s Jallikattu on the second day at Palamedu in Madurai on Monday afternoon when a Jallikattu bull gored a spectator to death. In the incident that took place at 1.30 p.m., 26 people were injured, one of them seriously. Six persons were admitted to then Madurai government hospital.

S Kalimuthu, 19, hailing from Dindigal district, died at hospital after he was gored and swung across by a speeding bull that charged into a crowd at bull collection point at the end of the huge open ground that was hosting Jallikattu at Palamedu, located 500 km away.

Police inspector at Palamedu said investigations were on.

“It is an unfortunate accident,” Madurai collector K Veera Raghava Rao said adding that the incident took place away from the playing area.

He it happened at the playing area, the damage could have been much more. But it is the result of security and safety steps that include controlling number of players permitted in the playing area at a time.

Some 455 bulls participated in the event today as against the 1000 that were registered as there was no time. The Jallikattu event was declared closed at 3.15 p.m.

Tomorrow, the event will be held at Alanganallur, where Chief Minister Edapaddi Palaniswami is expected to witnessed and give away the prizes.