Four years after several cases were filed against youngsters during the Jallikattu protests, the Tamil Nadu government on Friday announced all cases except those filed against people for attacking police personnel and destroying public property, will be withdrawn.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami made the announcement in the state Assembly on Friday. In a statement moved under Rule 110, Palaniswami said the government has decided to withdraw cases filed against individuals during the 2017 Jallikattu protests.
However, cases relating to assaulting policemen on duty and setting vehicles on fire would not be withdrawn, the Chief Minister said. “Cases will be withdrawn after consultations with legal experts,” Palaniswami told the Assembly.
Numerous cases were filed against individuals during the Jallikattu agitation in January 2017 that drew the attention of the nation. Though the protests remained peaceful for over a week, the agitation ended in violence with police and protesters fighting pitched battles in the city.
Jallikattu agitation, which began as a small protest at Marina Beach in Chennai, grew into one of the biggest protests that Tamil Nadu saw in decades as lakhs of people converged at the beach to demand that the bull-taming sport be allowed.
The protests came to an end only after the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a state-specific amendment to Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act paving the way for the conduct of Jallikattu.
Published 05 February 2021, 12:07 IST