EXTRA: Rooster kills owner on their way to a cockfight

Saripalli Chanavenkateshwaram Rao, an Indian man, has been killed by his rooster while trying to enlist the latter for a cockfight.

The 50-year-old resident of Pragadavaram village in southern India’s Andhra Pradesh state, was said to be a regular at the local cock fights in the area until his demise.

According to CNN, Kranti Kumar, a police spokesman, who confirmed his death, explained the father of three was on his way to a cockfight competition as usual, when the rooster attempted running away.

He said during the ensuing melee, the rooster slashed its owner with a blade attached to its claw, before being rushed to a nearby hospital where he was confirmed death on January 15.

The cockfight competition reportedly took place not minding his death.

Cockfighting, a centuries-old practice involves placing roosters in an enclosed pit and having them fight to the death.

According to the Humane Society, the animals who survive suffer excruciating injuries, such as punctured lungs, broken bones and pierced eyes.

India had reportedly banned the practice of animals engaging in fighting competition in 1960.

Speaking on the incident, Gauri Maulekhi, trustee for India’s People for Animals foundation, lamented that the practice still holds sway.

“The offenses have been made very clear and explained to the district and state authorities, but they choose to turn a blind eye towards it. It is not just for entertainment that these animals are made to fight, but it is (also) due to the heavy betting and gambling that goes on in the garb of these events,” she told CNN.

“I don’t think culture has anything to do with it — it is purely a money game and hysteria takes over, reason and logic just take a back seat such that neither the animal’s welfare nor the people’s welfare is enough to stop it.”

She went on explain the difficulty of stopping the practice, noting there have been several legal debates over the banning of cockfighting in the country.

“I don’t think culture has anything to do with it — it is purely a money game and hysteria takes over, reason and logic just take a back seat such that neither the animal’s welfare nor the people’s welfare is enough to stop it,” she said.