Thirty-two people have been injured as the traditional bull-taming sport of Jallikattu got underway as part of a festival in southern India.<br /><br />Video from Pongal Festival in Madurai, Tamil Nadu captured on Wednesday (January 14) shows the bulls being released one by one into a crowd of people. <br /><br />Participants then try to tame the raging bull by holding onto the animal's hump for as long as possible while spectators look on.<br /><br />More than 2,000 bulls will participate in Jallikattu, which is held until January 31. <br /><br />According to local media, 32 people have been injured. Four of them, who suffered serious injuries, have been taken to Madurai Government Hospital.<br /><br />A retired local member of the judiciary, Principal District Judge C Manickam, was appointed by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court to visit the venue in Madurai and check on safety.<br /><br />"Top police officials will be present to deal with any situation," Manickam told reporters. <br /><br />"Twenty-one ambulance vehicles are ready to provide medical facility to the injured players," he added.<br /><br />In 2014, India's top court banned the sport after a plea was filed by the Animal Welfare Board of India and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The ban was later lifted in 2017 after protests.
