MUZAFFARGARH, June 23: A pet can be a matter of life and death for its owner. This can be verified if one listens to anxious fighting cock owners locked up at the Sadar police station. All of them want immediate release of their birds, as what they say, stuffy and oppressive atmosphere inside the lock-up do not suit their pets.

“I am ready to spend 10 years in jail, but help me release my pet,” said one cock owner refusing to reveal his name, who was arrested from a cock fight championship held at Basti Doaba, 10 kilomteres from Muzaffargarh, on Sunday. Police arrested 24 cock owners along with their pets from the championship.

Police officials said hundreds of gamblers had staked millions of rupees at this apparent cock fight and luddu championship.

The raid forced hundreds of gamblers to flee and police could capture 25 cars, 60 motorcycles, 24 cocks, 300 pairs of shoes, 20 mobile phones and 24 gamblers from the spot. Police detained the gamblers at the Sadar police station, confiscated vehicles, pets, mobile phones and pairs of shoes and registered a case.

A police official, who was in the raiding team, said on the condition of anonymity that Malik Sajid Chhajra, who is the brother of the union council nazim, had organised the championship where gamblers from many districts had arrived to try their luck.

Station House Officer Asghar Gujjar confirmed police had arrested gamblers and confiscated valuables besides Rs100,000 from the gamblers. He said after investigating other culprits would be nabbed.

Another police official said members of the assemblies from several districts had called police officials to release the cocks and their owners.

Cock fights are popular in south Punjab where a trained fighter cock is sometimes priced at Rs10,000 to Rs100,000.