An equestrian race was conducted at Thathamangalam near here on Saturday morning in blatant violation of the COVID-19 restrictions.
Hundreds of people gathered to witness the biennial event, throwing caution to the wind.
The police stopped the race and slapped cases against many people, including the organisers. The police said they were cheated by the organisers, who had assured the authorities that the event would only be symbolic.
The police said 54 horses took part in the race held as part of the Angadivela, which was an integral part of the Vettai Karuppasamy Temple festival at Thathamangalam, a Kerala-Tamil Nadu border village.
Cases were registered against all participants and 500-odd villagers who gathered violating the COVID-19 regulations.
Many horses had been brought from places such as Ooty, Chennai, Pune, and Agra for the biennial Angadivela festival. The curtains went up on the festival on April 17. A customary elephant parade was also on the cards to be held on May 1. More than 40 elephants used to take part in the elephant parade.
The biennial equestrian race along the main roads of the temple street is a traditional event of the festival that used to attract thousands of people from different parts, especially from Tamil Nadu.
Festival committee secretary M. Murukanandan had announced that the event would be cancelled in view of the COVID-19 situation. However, the conduct of the race and the gathering of the crowds on both sides of the road surprised the authorities, who swung into action.
During the race, one horse lost control and ran into the crowd, before hitting against an iron post and falling down. A village jockey, who rode the horse along the tarred road at great pace without wearing any personal protective gears, escaped unhurt.
