VISAKHAPATNAM:
Police
are trying to divert the attention of youth and villagers from the
rooster fights
by conducting various games even as the organisers of
cockfights
are busy with preparation of
cockfight
arenas, auction of gundata (gambling), and liquor sales at various places across the state.
Decks were almost cleared for the rooster fights across the state as many politicians have reportedly given green signal to organise not only rooster fights but also various gambling activities at the cockfight venues.
According to punters, betting would be more this time than previous two years . It may cross Rs Rs 400 crore as against the Rs 250 crore to Rs 300 crore last year.
“Big arenas have already been set up at various places in both Godavari districts and Krishna, besides Vizag, Prakasam, Guntur, and Nellore districts,” says a punter from West Godavari district.
Rooster fights would take place in a big way only in Godavari districts and Krishna.
Despite all this, rooster fights would go on during the three days of Sankranti.
The West Godavari police have already bound over more than 3,700 people and seized 4,117 rooster knives (to be tied on the legs of the roosters during the fighting), besides serving notices on 355 people who were involved in the rooster fights in the past few years.
“We have already put the teams on the job. Joint teams are pressed into action. Our teams focus on arrack sale, lodges and hotels,” West Godavari SP Rahul Dev Sarma told TOI.
“We are promoting sports such as volleyball, cricket, kabaddi and others under ‘Sampradaya Sankranti Kreedalu’. Women constables are creating awareness among the women in villages,” East Godavari SP M Ravindra Babu said.
Police in East Godavari district have already destroyed 35 big arenas prepared for rooster fights. They seized 4,950 rooster knives and more than 2,500 people were bound over
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