Gods love dead goats
• Superstitious Folly
Lalitha Sridhar writes:
CHENNAI, Sept 12 (OneWorld) - Animal sacrifice is banned in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, but popular demand helps the practice to continue, as was proved last week when police seized nearly 4,000 animals meant for ritual slaughter in a famous village festival.
On September 5, the police swooped down on a biennial mass animal sacrifice at a temple in Sirumalanji village 25 kilometers from Tirunelveli town. Their catch: 2,500 goats, 1,000 pigs and 500 chicken, which were raised especially for the occasion by devotees. ...
Though a state law promulgated in 1950 bans the, "killing or maiming of any animal or bird for the purpose of or with the intention of propitiating any deity," it has never been enforced in the state up until now.
Elsewhere in India as well, state laws exist largely on paper. The famous Kali temple in Kolkata is known to conduct animal sacrifice.