Cock kills owner during cockfight in India

A cock on Sunday inflicted serious wounds on the groin of its owner, killing him in the process, as it tried to escape during an illegal cockfight in southern India, Al Jazeera has reported.

The paper reported district police to have said the victim, Thangulla Satish, 45, died from loss of blood before he could reach a hospital in the Karimnagar district of Telangana state last week, said police officer B Jeevan.

The fatal injury was caused by the knife fitted to the rooster’s leg in the illegal contest which kills thousands of roosters every year.

The killer gamecock was briefly held at the local police station before it was sent to a poultry farm, Al Jazeera said, quoting police officer B Jeevan.

“Satish was hit by the rooster’s knife in his groin and started bleeding heavily,” Mr Jeevan said. “We may need to produce it before the court,” he added.

Despite efforts by animal rights activists to end such cockfights, the act has persisted and it continues to attract large crowds yearly.

ALSO READ: India confirms outbreak of Avian flu

Authorities said they have launched a manhunt for the organizers of the event, with 15 of them still at large.

If apprehended, the punters could face charges of manslaughter, illegal betting and taking part in a cockfight.

Although banned, cockfights still thrive during Hindu festival of Sankranti in Indian states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Odisha.

The contest involves a cockfight, in a cockpit, between specially bred gamecocks fitted with cockspurs or knives of about 7.5-centimetre (three-inch) to their legs.

Punters bet on their choice roosters, and the contest is decided when either of the gamecock either dies or flees.

Al Jazeera reported that last year, a man was killed when a blade attached to his bird’s leg hit him during a cockfight in Andhra Pradesh.

It added that in 2010, a rooster killed its owner by slashing his jugular vein in West Bengal state.