Cocks spend two days in police custody, released after health check-up in Odisha

Balsore: In a bizarre incident, four roosters had to spend more than two days in custody of police in Balasore district after being rescued from a cock-fight competition. Simulia police who seized the poultry birds not only had to feed them but also spent on their upkeep during the custody time.

The roosters were rescued from a competition being held at Manjaripur village under Muruna gram panchayat in Simulia on December 25. Being a blood sport that thrives on betting, cock-fighting is illegal as it involves animal cruelty.

Simulia Police was keeping a watch on the betting activities that start during this period of the year and continue till the middle of January. Policemen in plain clothes were deployed at the competition ground and immediately acted once the games



began.

While the operator of the competition initially resisted, it gave up when the police revealed its identity. Four persons were booked under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act while the birds were seized and kept under custody at the police station in Simulia.

As the case was registered under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, police had to take the male poultry birds to Simulia veterinary hospital for their health check-up. Once the condition of the birds was found to be normal, the birds were handed over to the owners who also submitted undertakings in writing they would not take part in such competitions in the future, Inspector-in-charge of Simulia police station Jayanta Behera said. Police apparently spent over Rs 5,000 on the birds’ feed and health care.