Bench nod for cock fight in Karur village

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday gave permission to hold cock fight in Karur and issued guidelines to be followed during the conduct of the event.Through his petition, R Selvam, a ward member of Kosur village panchayat, sought the intervention of the bench after the inspector of Thogamalai police station refused to grant permission to hold cock fights in the village.  The petitioner had made a representation to the inspector on Jan 17, 2012.Stating that conducting cock fight was a annual affair after the Pongal, the petitioner said that any delay in granting permission would deprive the villagers a chance to witnes the event this year.  He further assured that no cruelty would be done to the birds that take part in the event and also pointed out that no untoward incidents have taken place in the village during the cock fight in the past.Therefore, he requested the court to direct the inspector of Thogamalai police station to consider his representation and give permission to conduct cock fight on Jan 21 and 22, 2012.A division bench comprising Justice Chitra Venkataraman and Justice R Karuppiah, before which the petition came up, issued directions to the inspector of police of Thogamalai to allow the cock fight. However, the bench added that the inspector along with the veterinary doctor of Kosur village should supervise the event.They further observed that no injury should be caused to the birds during the cock fight, the birds should not be intoxicated, no knife should be tied around their legs and that the doctor should ensure this before the start of the event. Directing the petitioner to bear the entire cost of the event, the bench also instructed the petitioner to file an undertaking to the inspector before the start of the event.