Coimbatore: The founder-director of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Ingrid Newkirk, and two functionaries of it were arrested on charges of blindfolding statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Park in Coimbatore, as part its campaign against the nod given by Supreme Court for conducting Jallikattu.
The two were later released on bail after signing a bond, police said. The watchman and a contract worker of the park were also arrested in connection with the incident.
Though PETA activists originally scheduled to hold a protest on Wednesday against Jallikattu, it was dropped at the last minute.
However, Ingrid Newkirk and the PETA activists had gone to Gandhi Park and blindfolded the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and hung a board 'reject cruel sport Jallikattu.'
Following a complaint lodged by a Congress functionary, police registered cases against Ingrid and others for creating religious ill feeling, defaming the national leader, trespassing and also under Tamil Nadu Open Places Prevention of Disfigurement Act.
Inspector Cederick Manuel was transferred to the City Police Armed Reserve for failing to stop the protest, police said.
The traditional bull taming sport was organised at Alanganallur in Madurai on a large-scale on Thursday a day after the Supreme Court lifted the ban on the event. Jallikattu is organised alongside Pongal, the harvest festival of the state.
The apex court, while passing orders on a revision plea by the state government, had however imposed a series of conditions to ensure the safety of the bulls and also the spectators.
Double barricades had been put up around the sports arena to ensure the safety of the spectators, who included more than 100 foreign tourists.
Comments
0 comment