Again at Poolamvalasu, knife tied to rooster’s leg kills spectator

The annual rooster fight at Poovalamvalasu is famous nationally and it attracts large number of trained roosters not only from all over the state but from neigbouring states too

A spectator died after being hit by the knife tied in the rooster’s leg during the three-day annual rooster fight on Saturday as part of Pongal festival at Poovalamvalasu near Aravakurichi in Karur district.

The annual rooster fight at Poovalamvalasu is famous nationally and it attracts large number of trained roosters not only from all over the state (Erode, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Tirunelveli, Madurai and Tiruppur) but also from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana.

Since there was a heavy downpour on January 14, the competition was postponed to Saturday and over 5000 roosters took part in the event.

During the fight that commenced at 3 pm on Saturday, one of the roosters accidentally attacked Thangavel (60), one of the spectators who came to witness the event from Usilampatti in Dindigul district and it tore the thigh of Thangavel with the knife tied on its legs.

The attack was so severe that Thangavel fell on the ground and suffered blood loss. He was taken to the Aravakurichi GH with the help of the ambulance stationed near the venue.

When they reached him in the GH, the doctors declared him dead. Subsequently, the body was taken to the Karur Medical College Hospital. Aravakurichi police registered a case and are investigating.

It may be noted that the rooster fight was banned in 2014 after two bystanders died of injuries caused by a knife tied to the legs of the roosters.

However, it resumed in 2019 following the intervention of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.