New Delhi: Expressing anguish over the deaths of 215 persons, the Supreme Court on Tuesday wondered whether it should stay the "jallikattu", a popular bull fight event held in Tamil Nadu every year in January during the harvest season.
"We do not want people to die. 200 to 300 people have got hurt. Shall we stay the sport?
"This is happening inspite of the court monitoring and issuing guidelines. It has happened in a short duration of five days betwen January 16-19 in six legally licensed events and the report says 215 people have died and two persons
died," a bench of justices R V Raveendran and A K Patnaik said.
The apex court made the remarks while dealing with the submission of senior counsel Raj Panjwani appearing for the Animal Welfare Board who stated that two people died and 215 sustained injuries during this year's 'jali kattu' held
between January 14-19.
"Do you want another thousand people to die"? the court said when a counsel, appearing for one of the organisers, pleaded that instead of centralising the licensing systems, the powers should be conferred on District Collectors.
"We are not saying it should be stayed. May be it is a well respected tradition. But there has to be some safeguards," the bench said while adjouring the matter to a later date.
The apex court said the government has to take more stringent measures to regulate the sport.
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