Hyderabad: There is a cock in this story, a whole lot of bull, and plenty of people running around like headless chicken. But the saga of a 1.5-ft-tall fiery rooster from Gollapali in Jagtiyal district of Telangana is far from over.
The bird — “estimated to be two or three years old” — stands accused of causing its owner’s death by accidentally slashing him in the groin during an illegal bird fight.
Now, the rooster finds itself not just without an owner and vocation, but also in police custody and facing a possible court hearing.
The incident happened on February 22 during a bird fight being held on the sly near a temple in Gollapalli, according to a report in The Indian Express.
For T Sathaiah, a 45-year-old small-time poultry owner who is well known in the area for training roosters for bird fights, it was a normal day at work. He arrived with the rooster, which was ready to shed blood with a 3-inch knife strapped to one of its legs.
However, as Sathaiah was putting it down to take on the other rooster, the bird struggled to free itself and in the process, slashed Sathaiah in the groin.
Police said Sathaiah started bleeding profusely. “The sharp knife dealt a grievous injury. He lost a lot of blood by the time he was taken to hospital and was declared brought dead,” said Sub-Inspector at Gollapalli police station, K Jeevan.
The SI believes it is an open-and-shut case, with the knife and rooster seized, and their photos taken as extra precaution. “We kept the bird at the police station for a day, but later shifted it to a poultry farm nearby, where it is being taken care of. Photos of the rooster will be submitted to court. If the court orders, we will produce the bird,” he added.
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