Despite being prohibited in India, cockfighting is still a popular practice in numerous states, and the activity also being part of the culture. During the festival of Pongal, cockfighting competitions were held across parts of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Mettupalayam, a municipality town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, hosted a two-day cockfighting tournament. According to reports, the tournament was organized after 10 years.
The Puducherry government cracked down on cockfighting due to complaints of gambling and law enforcement issues. This led the police to confiscate roosters and file cases against violators.
The two-day cockfighting competition kicked off at Mettupalayam Heavy Vehicle Terminal and over 1,000 roosters from more than 10 states participated in the competition.
Prizes were also announced for the winning roosters, and the event itself attracted a large crowd of spectators, highlighting renewed interest in cockfighting despite the ban.
The Supreme Court of India prohibited cockfighting in 2014 but fights are organized occasionally in rural parts of Tamil Nadu and parts of Puducherry. In January, the Madras High Court granted permission to organize cockfighting events during Pongal celebrations in some parts of Tamil Nadu but with certain restrictions.
The HC had directed the District Collectors to keep a strict watch on such events for any violation of guidelines. One of the conditions laid out by the HC was to organize events without tying a blade to the legs of the roosters.
