Two spectators were gored to death by bulls in separate Hori Habba incidents in Shikaripura taluk of Shivamogga district, prompting police to register two unnatural death reports and drawing attention to safety arrangements at traditional public gatherings.
The first death occurred on Thursday in Churchugundi village, where 48-year-old Arun had gone to watch the bull-chasing event. According to the report, a bull charged into the crowd and gored him. He died while being taken to hospital. The attack was recorded on a mobile phone, and footage of the incident later circulated widely.
In a separate incident on Wednesday at Kalmane village, 84-year-old Eerappa was gored by a bull while watching the festivities. He also died from his injuries, according to the report.
Shikaripura Rural police confirmed both fatalities after videos of the incidents went viral. Shivamogga Superintendent of Police B N Nikhil told reporters on Sunday that separate unnatural death reports had been registered in connection with the two deaths.
Hori Habba is a traditional bull-taming festival held after Deepavali in parts of Karnataka. Local police described the events in Churchugundi and Kalmane as traditional bull chases rather than races. The report said the events did not require prior permission, a detail that places the incidents within a wider question about how public safety is managed when large crowds gather for community or cultural events outside conventional ticketed or formally organised venues.
The reported attacks also underline the exposure faced by spectators positioned close to the path of moving animals. In both incidents, the victims were watching the festivities when they were attacked. The available report does not specify the size of the crowds, the presence of barricades, the number of marshals or medical teams, or whether local administrative officials had issued safety instructions for spectators.
Police action is currently limited to the registration of the two unnatural death reports, and the supplied report does not indicate whether additional cases, arrests or event-level restrictions have followed. It also does not state whether the organisers or village authorities have been asked to provide records relating to crowd control or the conduct of the events.
The deaths come as viral video footage has brought renewed attention to the risks associated with spectators standing near traditional bull-chasing routes. Further details are expected to emerge through the police inquiries into the two incidents.
