Shivamogga, Jan 16 (IANS): The incidents of two persons getting killed after being attacked by a bull during the celebration of Hori (bull) festival in Shivamogga district of Karnataka came to light on Monday.

Both people succumbed to injuries on Monday at the hospital. They were injured during the Hori Habba competition organised as part of the celebrations during the Sankranti festival on January 14.

During Hori Habba, also known as Hatti Habba, Kobbari Hori Competition is a rural sport in which hundreds of trained and decorated draught cattle and bulls are made to run through huge crowds.

Catchers try to subdue the cattle and snatch away prizes such as copra, cash, gift items tied to them. The sport is practiced mainly in Shivamogga, Haveri and Uttara Kannada districts of Karnataka during the Deepavali and Sankranti festivals.

The deceased are identified as 24-year-old Ranganath and 32-year-old Lokesh. Ranganath had sustained serious injuries during the Hori Habba organised in the Malur village near Shiralakoppa in Shikaripura taluk.

Lokesh, a resident of Alkola in Shivamogga city, who went to see the competition organised at Kanaganahalli of Shivamogga taluk was stabbed in the chest by the raging bull on Sunday. The bull had charged at him.

Both injured persons were admitted to the Meggan District Hospital in Shivamogga. They succumbed to the injuries on Monday. Six other persons were injured by bull in the second incident. A case had been lodged against the organisers of the Hori festival.