The pro-jallikattu protests continued for the fifth day today across Tamil Nadu with the youth and students continuing to stay put at the venues, including the Marina, the epicentre of the statewide stir, here.
The entire area in and around Marina was abuzz with hordes of men, women and children shouting slogans, seeking nod for the bull-taming sport.
Jallikattu supporters also staged rail blockade at Madurai even as train services continued to remain affected due to the ongoing stir.
The Southern Railway announced cancellation of some trains besides diversion of others.
The Centre, moving swiftly, yesterday cleared a draft ordinance to allow jallikattu, paving the way for Tamil Nadu to promulgate it to end the widespread protests.
Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had yesterday said an ordinance to allow jallikattu would be in place in a day or two and legal steps would be taken to tackle any "obstacles" that come its way.
The state government would undertake all legal measures to handle related issues and remove any obstacles legally to facilitate the conduct of jallikattu, he had stated.
(REOPENS MDS1)
Protests demanding lifting of jallikattu ban were also held at Alanganallur, hub of the jallikattu event in Madurai district, Theni, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram, Kanyakumari and other parts of south Tamil Nadu, police said.
Some youths also squatted on the rail tracks in Madurai and talks between the protesters and railway and police officials were held. Train services were cancelled.
In Salem junction also the protesters squatted on rail tracks.
In Alanganallur, protesters demanded promulgation of ordinances by the Centre and state to hold the bull taming sport. They also demanded removal of bulls from the Performing Animals category.
According to reports from Theni district, a group of people conducted cock fight, which is also banned, as part of their protests. Cock fights were a part of Tamil culture and the basic right of people, they said.
In Rameswaram, fishermen decided to boycott fishing till the ban on Jallikattu was lifted.
(REOPENS MDS 4)
A report from Coimbatore said some law college students today continued with their hunger strike which was launched yesterday.
A few students raised slogans demanding lifting of the ban on jallikattu at VOC Park where they have been staging a protest for the last five days, police said.
Defying a ban order, a group of students conducted cock fight near the protest venue for about an hour.
Police said a group of students allegedly manhandled a reporter and a cameraman of a TV channel last night and reportedly asked other channels not to telecast their agitation.
