In what turned out to be an ugly end to the historic week-long protest held throughout Tamil Nadu for Jallikattu, police forced-ended it by lathi charging, using tear gas and arresting thousands of protesters in various places during the early hours on Monday.

The State Police started by holding peace talks with the protesters in all the places early in the morning asking them to leave the arenas in peace as their protest had a fruitful outcome. “Jallikattu was held in a few places and a solution has been brought out by the State Government,” police said.

However, except in a few places like Tirunelveli, Trichy and Dindigul, protesters refused to give up, voicing the need for a permanent solution to the Jallikattu problem. “The ordinance passed by the State Government was not a solid solution,” said the protesters.

As peace talks turned futile and protesters refused to leave, police started removing the protesters one by one and arrested those who opposed. Arrests were made in Chennai, Coimbatore and other districts, and tear gas was used in Chennai as protesters attempted a road roko on Avvai Shanmughi Street. Police also lathi charged in these areas to disperse the crowds.

A large part of the crowd in Marina in Chennai, and Alanganallur and Thamukkam in Madurai remained in the area refusing to heed the request of the police. Protesters in Chennai tied black flags to the boats on the Marina shore and moved close to the sea to avoid getting arrested.

Police were still trying to evacuate the remaining protesters.

Meanwhile, it is expected that the State Assembly would bring about a solution to Jallikattu.

Opposition leader M.K. Stalin in a statement has condemned the activities of the police calling it anti-democratic.