Date:22/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/22/stories/2005012203600300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Winged creatures behind bars!

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI. Jan. 21. The delay in disposal of court cases does not seem to have spared even fowls.

It was about three weeks ago that the Kurabalakota police rounded-off a few villagers along with their fowls when they were engaged in cockfights in their village, 100 km from here, before the Sankranti festival.

When the police produced the villagers, along with their fowls, before the local court, the villagers were let off after they paid the prescribed penalty while the birds were detained. They were lodged in the Mudivedu police station cell.

Though the police took the birds twice to the court, their case could not be disposed of for some reason or other.

As a result, they are back in the prison even as the policemen, wary of the court orders, have been feeding them and taking care of their health, unmindful of the budget provision and the sticky nature of the job.