Target: Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, India
Goal: Seek maximum lawful penalties, long-term animal-ownership bans, and full restitution for individuals who allegedly ran a cockfighting event where birds were fitted with blades and forced to fight.
Authorities reportedly stopped an illegal cockfighting event before it began, and a report was registered against eight individuals for aiding and abetting the purported spectacle. Reports describe roosters being forced into staged combat where legs are fitted with razor attachments, causing punctured lungs, shattered bones, and eyes pierced in the chaos. Such scenes, as documented by animal-protection groups, turn fear and blood into gambling stakes while normalizing cruelty as entertainment.
Police cited Section 12(c) of the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887 and Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 for alleged facilitation of this unlawful event. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 prohibits inciting animals to fight, and a 2014 Supreme Court judgment affirmed that staged animal fights must end. Beyond the brutality, cockfights draw illegal betting and alcohol-fueled disorder, and the transport and handling of birds for fights raise the risk of spreading deadly avian influenza.
Public vigilance prevented carnage this time, yet deterrence depends on consequences that fit the alleged harm. Prosecutors can ask courts for strong sentences, long-term bans on owning or handling animals, forfeiture of fighting paraphernalia, mandatory education and counseling, and restitution covering veterinary and shelter costs. This petition urges firm, public-facing prosecution and sentencing advocacy so organized cruelty faces decisive legal consequences.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Chief Minister Fadnavis,
We respectfully urge your office to pursue the strongest lawful charges and sentencing advocacy in the case where eight individuals allegedly participated in an illegal cockfighting event. Accounts indicate roosters were forced to fight with razor-like implements tied to their legs, leading to punctured lungs, broken bones, and catastrophic eye injuries. Such alleged cruelty, paired with illegal gambling and other disorder, cries out for a response that prevents copycat offenses.
Reports state that a report was registered under Section 12(c) of the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887 and Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 for alleged aiding and abetting, alongside conduct that appears to implicate the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling makes clear that staged animal fights must end. We ask that your office press for penalties that reflect these standards if the allegations are proven.
Specifically, we urge you to seek maximum lawful sentences, a long-term court-ordered prohibition on owning or handling animals, forfeiture of instruments associated with animal fighting, mandatory education and counseling, and restitution for veterinary treatment and sheltering. A clear and public outcome will help ensure that cruelty for sport does not find new arenas under the cover of “tradition” or quick profit.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer)
