Kozhikode: Temple Rooster Sacrifice Stopped AGAIN Following PETA India Complaint

After learning that some residents of Chombala village and certain members of the management of Sri Puthari Chathoth Temple – located in Kunnummakkara, near Chombala, Kozhikode district – were planning to sacrifice numerous roosters as part of an annual ritual, PETA India sprang into action and worked with Kozhikode Police officials to prevent the sacrifice from taking place. Edachery Police Station issued a notice to the temple to ensure no animals were sacrificed at the temple. PETA India had worked with concerned officials to prevent the same sacrifice in 2024 too.

In its complaint, PETA India pointed out that Section 3 of the Kerala Animals and Birds Sacrifices Prohibition Act, 1968, strictly prohibits sacrificing animals in or within the premises of a temple or in temple precincts. Section 4 prohibits any person from officiating or offering to officiate at – or perform or offer to perform or participate in or offer to participate in – an animal sacrifice in a temple or its premises or in any other public place of worship. Section 5 prohibits the use of a temple or temple premises or any other place of public religious worship for sacrificing animals by any person in possession of such temple. Section 6 makes the contravention of Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Act a punishable offence.

In the complaint, it was also highlighted that killing roosters illegally by several persons in furtherance of a common intention is a punishable offence under Section 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Under Section 325 of the BNS, mischievously killing roosters is punishable with imprisonment for a term that may extend to five years, a fine, or both.

PETA India also called attention to two judgements of the Hon’ble Kerala High Court regarding the subject. The Kerala High Court, vide its judgement in Muraleedharan & Anr vs State of Kerala & Ors (WP(C) No 11142 of 2020(S)), dated 16 June 2020, upheld the validity of the Kerala Animals and Birds Sacrifices Prohibition Act, 1968. Moreover, the Kerala High Court recently, vide its judgement dated 24 May 2023 in the case of Raveendran PT vs The State of Kerala & Ors (WP(C) No 15433 of 2022), directed action to stop animal sacrifices by terming them unhealthy, unscientific, and deleterious.

Gujarat, Kerala, Puducherry, and Rajasthan already have laws in place prohibiting the religious sacrifice of any animal in any temple or its precinct. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana prohibit it in any place of public religious worship, adoration, its precinct, or any congregation or procession connected with religious worship on a public street.

Call For a Ban on Animal Sacrifice