Aug. 19: The blood sport of cockfight continues to be held in the city despite a government ban and the wagers run into a huge amount, the People for Animals (PFA) claimed today.

The chairperson of the Assam chapter of the PFA, Sangeeta Goswami, told reporters that several groups were involved in organising cockfights as a large sum of money was at stake.

Police, with the help of the PFA, recently arrested two persons for organising the prohibited sport at a playground near the NF Railway’s indoor stadium in Maligaon on Sunday.

The accused, identified as Kadu Basfor and Rajesh Basfor, were arrested on the basis of an FIR lodged by the chairperson of the Assam PFA.

Both of them reside at Marasali near the Nehru Stadium. Rajesh is a conservancy worker at the deputy commissioner’s office, Goswami said.

“We have learnt that the bouts were held on the open ground every Sunday with a large gathering egging on the birds. But the police never intervened because they were ignorant that the blood sport was prohibited under law,” she added.

Goswami said under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, staging animal fights was a punishable offence.

“This is a cognisable offence with a fine and imprisonment that may exceed two years,”she added.

The chairperson of the Assam PFA said the law enforcing agencies needed to be sensitised about the animal protection law to ensure its better enforcement.

“We hope our drive will act as a deterrent for those who carry out such cruelties to animals,” Goswami said.

The PFA is a voluntary organisation dedicated to preventing intentional or unintentional harm to animals.

During a cockfight, the birds have sharp knives, blades and broken pieces of glass tied to their legs. As the gamecocks leap and lunge at each other, the knives wound the combatants, even resulting in death.

Not all fights lead to death, but the cocks do endure physical trauma because of which it is considered to be a heinous blood sport.

“When we carried out the raid on Sunday, we found a cock writhing in pain with a slit abdomen,” Goswami said.

Despite opposition from animal lovers, advocates of the sport often cite cultural and religious relevance to perpetuate it. It is also a favourite pastime in the rural areas of the state.