A rooster with a razor tied in its paw killed a man during an illegal cockfight in southern India, police have reported, focusing on a practice that continues in some Indian states despite carrying decades banned.
Last week, the rooster, with a 7.5-centimeter (3-inch) knife tied to its leg, fluttered in panic and cut the groin of its owner, 45-year-old Thangulla Satish, reported on Sunday l Police Inspector B. Jeevan.
The incident occurred in Lothunur village, Telangana state.
According to Jeevan, Satish was injured while preparing the rooster for the fight. “Satish was hit in the groin by the rooster’s knife and began to bleed considerably,” said the officer, who added that the man died on the way to the hospital.
Police opened an investigation and were looking for more than a dozen people involved in organizing the fight, Jeevas added. If found guilty, organizers could spend up to two years in prison.
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Rooster fights are common in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, southern Indian states, although in 1960 they were banned nationwide. Animal rights activists have demanded control of the illegal practice, which is mainly organized as part of local Hindu festivals attended by hundreds or even thousands of people. Rooster fights are usually held under the watchful eye of powerful local politicians and involve a lot of betting money.