MADURAI: The police busted an illegal cockfighting ring with betting near Dindigul's Gujiliamparai and arrested eight persons. Vedasandur DSP Pavithra received a tip-off, and a team of police effectively nabbed them. The illegal activity occurred on Saturday night when the police found a low-lit location in a remote area at Eluppapatti village, where several bikes were parked at the locality.

Many ran amok, leaving behind their vehicles, when the police arrived at the location. However, only eight were arrested. The police seized 62 bikes, recovered seven live roosters, and two dead roosters were also found. Moreover, cash of Rs 1.28 lakh has also been seized. However, no knife was found to have been tied to cock’s leg. Probe revealed that Kavin of Pernaiyakkanpatty village conducted the illicit activity and is currently at large.

Those arrested were Kavikumar, Balasubramani, Rengasamy, Thangaraj, Balamurugan, Selvakumar, Gopal and Duraisamy. All were aged over 45, and they mostly belonged to Karur and parts of Palayam and Gujiliamparai. Based on a complaint, Gujiliamparai police filed a case.

Cockfighting is widely banned in India under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. At a time when cockfighting was regarded as a cultural event by organisers in line with temple festivals, it's allowed in exceptional cases, only based on court orders.