Two killed by 'armed' chickens at cockfighting events in India

Two men have bled to death at cockfighting events in India after being sliced by knives fixed to roosters.

One victim, Gande Suryapraksha Rao, was tying blades to the feet of his prized cockerel ahead of a fight in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, when the bird became spooked by the crowd, flew up and cut his leg.

The 43-year-old was immediately rushed to hospital, but was declared dead on arrival, reports The New Indian Express.

In a second incident, a 20-year-old spectator at an event in East Godavari was hit by a bird as he stood near the cockfighting pit. The blade attached to the bird cut open his hand causing him to bleed profusely. He died on the way to hospital. 

Cockfighting has long been a tradition in the region, but many have made the sport more extreme by attaching blades to the feet of the animals. 

This extreme version of the sport has been banned in India since 2018 reversing the decision of being fully banned by the Indian Supreme Court in 2016.

Police have tried to curtail this activity in previous years but the events have garnered a lot of popular support, with hotels being booked well in advance within the Godvavari districts.