Madurai,Jan 14(PTI) :Fifty five people were injured in two incidents when the popular ‘Jallikattu’ (bull taming sport), held as part of Pongal (harvest festival), was in progress at nearby Avaniyapuram today, police said.

While 26 persons were injured, five of them seriously, when they tried to tame the charging bulls by clinging to their backs, 23 spectators and a police constable were injured following a melee after some bulls ran amok into the crowd.

Five were injured after the gallery erected for the spectators to witness the event collapsed due to overcrowding, police said.

The event was stopped for nearly 30 minutes after the gallery collapsed, they said.

The seriously injured have been admitted to Madurai Rajaji Hospital and others were treated as outpatients, police said.

Police said 314 bulls were brought from neighbouring districts of Theni, Dindigul, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Salem and Namakkal for the Jallikattu.

A heavy police force was deployed for the event, which was conducted as per the guidelines of Supreme Court and Tamil Nadu Jallikattu Regulation Act issued in the wake of complaints from animal rights activists about cruelty to the animals, besides casualties among spectators.

Authorities had made sure that the bulls were not subjected to harassment and administered intoxicants. The bulls were medically examined prior to the event, police said.

Strict vigil was also made to ensure that the bull tamers were not inebriated, they said.