1,200 goats sacrificed in violation of PCA

The festival is one of its kind where the temple priest drinks the blood of hundred goats to appease the goddess. In Tamil, ‘Kutti Kudithal’ means tasting the blood of lambs. Thousands thronged the temple premises on the occasion. 

According to the organisers, around 1,200 goats are sacrificed every year during the Tamil month of Masi by devotees from various communities, who seek the blessings the Goddess Kuzhumayee Amman during the ‘Kutti Kudi’ festival. 

The festival is celebrated in a span of four days with the lambs being sacrificed on the third day. The devotees believe that the ritual will ward off their curses and misfortunes. 

Large numbers of devotees carried the lambs the arena set up for the festival. The temple priest J Sivakumar, who was named Marulali for the festival, was adorned as the village god Ondi Karupu. He was then carried to the arena, by two devotees on their shoulders, where he accepted the ‘offerings’ by tasting the blood of the goats. Following the ritual he gave counselling to the devotees. 

As a customary practice, the ‘Kutti Kudithal’ began with the offering of lambs by the district administration, HR and CE department and the police department. 

Animal activists in the state condemned the mass slaughter of lambs and claimed that such acts should be avoided as far as possible at least in the presence of children and young adults. 

They pointed out that it was clearly a violation under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act. Elaborating on the point, Anthony Rubin, former co-opted member of Animal Welfare Board of India said that while Section 28 of the PCA Act did allow for animal sacrifice, a recent judgment by the Shimla High Court had clearly mentioned that only halal and Jatka methods were allowed and did not specify a location where it was permitted.