A MAN has been killed after he was inadvertently slashed to death by a rooster competing in an illegal cockfight.
The man died after he suffered wounds to the abdomen during an illegal cockfight in the village of Pragadavaram in the Andhra Pradesh state in India.
The individual, who has been named locally as Saripalli Venkateswara Rao, was a spectator during the fight, which took place last Friday, January 17.
He incurred the injuries after the rooster, broke free as it was about to be thrown into the fight against another fowl.
Rao was struck by several blades which had been strapped to the bird’s body as part of the contest, which was evidently a spur fight.
Spur fighting sees three-inch long steel spurs being attached to the sides of their legs.
The 55-year-old bled to death as a result of the attack.
Cockfighting has been banned in law in Ireland since the middle of the 19th century.
However, according to The Irish Council Against Blood Sports, it still takes place in some parts of the country.
A vicious and cruel activity, the ‘sport’ sees two cocks thrown into an enclosed pit and encouraged to rip each other apart until one succumbs and dies.
The ugly conflict is often cheered on by watching spectators with some even gambling on the result.
Birds such as the Irish Game Cock and the Large Old English Game Cock are traditionally used as they are particularly territorial and will instinctively chase rivals away.
If you have any information about cockfighting activities, please immediately report it to the Gardai.
For the phone numbers of Garda stations, please visit: www.garda.ie/Stations/Default.aspx.
If you are in Northern Ireland, contact the police at www.psni.police.uk.
