The four-day-long rooster fights at Poolanvalasu near Aravakurichi came to an end on Saturday. The event saw a huge turnout of spectators and roosters from different parts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
According to sources, about 1.5 lakh people had witnessed the annual event, held as part of the Pongal festivities.
Natarajan, the Chairman of the Karur District Cooperative Union Bank and one of the organisers of the rooster fights, said that around 50,000 gamecocks were brought to the event, and 25,000 of them participated in the fights. The remaining roosters could not take part due to paucity of time and space. However, many rooster owners managed to find opponents for their birds and held fights outside the arena.
Ten cases were filed on the charges of betting and violating the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The Aravakurichi police arrested 20 persons, all of whom were later released on bail.
