18 arrested for organizing, betteing on grey-francolin fighting

KANPUR: Around 18 people were arrested in Unnao district for organizing and betting on Grey-Francolin-Fighting matches. The police rescued 24 grey-francolin and seized cash and goods from the raid. The district police were tipped off by informers about the existence of such a racket.
“A team, led by inspector, Kotwali, raided a mango orchard at Unnao-Hardoi road on Sunday and busted a betting racket on grey-francolin fighting.The cops recused 24 birds and arrested three organizers and 15 other men who were spectators and were placing bets on the birds,” said a senior police official.
The betters came from across the district, Kanpur and Hardoi as well. The police are investigating the case. The rescued birds have been released in the nearby forest cover.
A case has been registered against accused Ram Prasad, a resident of Dubiyana, Subhash of Gulriha, Mewa Lal of Sadiqpur, Shiv Kumar of Uchgaon, Rajbeer of Auras, Hira Lal of Kakadeo area of the City, Gangram of Shuklaganj Ghat and 11 others with the Kotwali police station in the district under the Animal Cruelty Act and Wildlife Protection Act. Killing grey francolin is covered under Schedule III of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and is punishable with an imprisonment of six months or fine of Rs 25,000 or both.
Local sources informed that the game of francolin fighting takes place in various villages of Unnao district. Sources further said there is a big network involved in francolin fighting and betting in the events. Utmost care is taken by the owners of francolin to make them win the fight so they can win money. The birds are fed on a varied diet,including dry fruits.
Not very long ago, the Farrukhabad police had arrested a poacher near Khanpur area under the limits of Kotwali police station and recovered 53 grey-francolin from his possession.
Secretary, society for conservation of nature, Rajiv Chauhan said, “poaching of grey-francolin (formerly called grey-partridge) is a common practice in the region. The birds are already declining in number due to loss of breeding habitat and food supplies. Their numbers have, in fact, fallen in these areas by as much as 50 percent in the last 15-20 years.”
These birds are found in open cultivated lands as well as scrub forest and go by the local name of ‘teetar’. The species have long been domesticated in areas of northern India and Afghanistan and Pakistan where it is used for fighting. The domesticated birds can be around 500-600 gm.