VELLORE: Ban on cockfights by the state government did not prevent the brisk sale of such cocks in the weekly shandy at Poigai village about 12 km from Vellore on Tuesday.

The shandy attracts visitors from surrounding neighbourhoods and also from states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka who come to buy livestock of various kind.

But, the weeks leading to the annual Pongal festivities also sees brisk sales in game cocks which are sold for very high rates. Sources in the shandy told DT Next that locals from surrounding villages came to sell such fighting cocks with the buyers being from all over the district and state. “The prices for these birds ranged between Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000,” he added. “Tuesday saw nearly 200 game cocks changing hands for high prices,” sources said.

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