Chennai: The Madras High Court has directed police to grant permission and provide security to conduct a 'cock fight' at nearby Thiruvallur as part of an event from January 17 to 19 while imposing certain conditions.
Justice R Suresh Kumar gave the directive while passing orders on a petition from one M Munuswamy, seeking a direction to police to grant permission and protection to conduct 'cock fight' in Vilakkamampoodi Pudur village as part of centenary celebrations of late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran and birth anniversary celebrations of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
The petitioner submitted that he along with a group of persons constituted a committee, which conducts the birth anniversary celebrations of MGR every year. As part of the function, they organise 'cock fights’, which is the traditional sport during the temple festival, he said.
In recent years, pursuant to the court's directions, police granted permission in 2014, 2015 and 2017. This year also they planned to organise a function to mark the birth centenary of MGR and birth anniversary of Jayalalithaa, he said. They also proposed to conduct a 'cock fight' this year and sent representation to police, seeking permission.
But there was no response, the petitioner said. The judge made it clear the event should be supervised by the Superintendent of Police in the district as well as by the veterinary doctor of a nearby government veterinary hospital.
He also said that during the course of holding the 'cock fight', no injury should be caused to the birds, they should not be intoxicated and knives, with their tips dipped in poisonous substances, should not be tied around the legs of the birds.
The veterinary doctor should ensure the safety of the birds before the actual start of the event, the judge added. Other conditions imposed by the judge include one that the organiser should take precautionary measures to avoid any untoward incident and no songs should be played praising communal leader(s) or having communal overtones.
The judge said these conditions should be strictly adhered to by the petitioner and his group on all three days. If any violation was reported, police were at liberty to take appropriate action against the petitioner and his group.
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