A tragedy occurred in Bali: 50-year-old I Nengah Sudana died after being fatally injured by a blade attached to a fighting rooster's leg. The incident happened in Denpasar and was the second tragedy during cockfights.
According to the police, Sudana was watching the match when one of the roosters suddenly broke out of the circle and attacked the spectators. Sudana was hit in the stomach. Witnesses took the injured man to Puri Raharja Hospital, but doctors confirmed his death before arrival. That evening, the body was returned to his home village of Angantelu in Karangasem district.
The police classified the incident as an accident and found no signs of intent; no arrests were made.
Cockfights are prohibited in most regions of Indonesia, but in Bali, they continue to exist as part of the Hindu Tabuh Rah rituals. Outside a religious context, these events provoke legal and ethical debates.
This incident happened a few weeks after another deadly case at cockfights in Bangli district. However, that time, the cause of death was a conflict among spectators. Bali's deputy governor I Nyoman Giri Prasta expressed concern and noted that "alcohol in cockfight arenas often provokes uncontrollable emotions."
In June, provincial legislators proposed a bill to regulate cockfights related to cultural traditions. The police supported the initiative, emphasizing that rituals are permissible, but gambling is illegal. However, Governor Wayan Koster rejected the proposal, stating that ceremonial tajen do not require additional regulation.
He reaffirmed the ban on betting and fights outside a religious context, and the police promised to continue tackling illegal games.
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