Over half a dozen roosters were seized and five persons were arrested after police busted a cockfighting and betting operation here.
According to senior inspector Kishore Khairnar of the LCB Thane district rural police, the accused were held after a team of cops raided a place near the brick kiln behind the Vitthal Mandir in Vasai here yesterday and found the five men gambling over the event.
The five --Narayan Pappu Pujari, 62, Ganesh Mahabali Shetty, 35, Shekar Subha Bechar, 40, Hansraj Vitthal Shetty, 45 and Tarashankar Tapan Nando, 31--were charged under section 22 (b) of the Bombay Gambling Act and the offence was registered with Valiv Police station.
Also, 6-7 roosters and cash totalling Rs 31,000 was seized, the police official said.
According to police, the arrested accused used to hold such bloody fights and gamble over the winning cock.
Cockfighting is a illegal blood sport wherein bets are placed on two roosters, which fight each other to death in a ring much to the amusement of the onlookers.
This barbaric practice, where the gamecocks suffer severe injuries is still prevalent in some parts of the country especially Tamil Nadu.
