Former MLA for Shikaripur, B.N. Mahalingappa suffered injuries during Hori Habba, a traditional bull-catching festival, at Balligavi village in Shikaripur taluk on Friday.
Mahalingappa was among the spectators in front of a house in the village, when the bull gored him. He fell on the ground. The villagers took him to hospital in Shikaripur. He suffered minor injuries and returned home after treatment. The video clip of the bull race in which the former MLA suffered injuries has gone viral on social media platforms.
Mr. Mahalingappa represented Shikaripur in the Legislative Assembly after defeating BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa in the 1999 elections.
Hori Habba, is a traditional festival in the region after Deepavali festival. A bull is made to run on a track, and participants vie to catch it. The event attracts huge crowds, and there have been incidents of deaths during the event in the past.
Shivamogga SP G.K. Mithun Kumar told The Hindu that the district administration and the police had imposed many restrictions on the event to ensure the safety of the participants. “We have insisted that the villagers, organising the event, take opinion of the local police and permission from the DC. We have also asked them to ensure safety measures, including putting up the barricades.
