Pudukkottai, Jan 14 :  Villagers of Alathur and its surrounding villages observed a day's fast at Alathur village near here today. They were protesting against the Pudukkottai district's administration for not granting permission to hold Jallikattu (bull fight) in their village in connection with the Pongal celebrations.

According to official sources, the District Collector Manoharan turned down request for holding Jallikattu in the village on the ground that the organizers had not fulfilled the statutory requirements as the directions of the courts. The Collector rejected the permission and a communication to this effect was sent to the organising committee president, through Tashildar of Illupur.

As the organising committee president refused to receive the communication, the revenue authorities pasted the communication on the doors of his house. Protesting against the refusal of the permission, the villagers observed the fast. However, police and revenue officials went to them and persuaded them, following which the villagers called off the fast.

- Agencies