Gamblers get ready to hold number play for Sankranti
Apart from cockfights, other forms of gambling also go on at the cockfight areas.
Kakinada: Gamblers are getting ready to organise games like number play, locally known as “gundata”, table-wheels, local variations of casino games, skill games and cards for Sankranti.
Apart from cockfights, other forms of gambling also go on at the cockfight areas. Crores of rupees will be gambled away during the three days of the festivals in East and West Godavari districts.
Some ruling party leaders in the villages are already pressurising for gambling to be allowed in their villages along with cockfights. According to reliable sources, gambling ga-mes have already started in Kakinada Rural, Sarpavaram, Rajahmundry Rural, Bhimavaram and other areas in these districts.
Nearly Rs 20 crore of business is expected in the season. In Kakinada Rural mandal and under Sarpavaram police station, local leaders are collecting Rs 1.50 lakh per gambling board from the organisers in exchange for keeping the cops off their backs during the festival. According to a source, nearly 500 people depend on these games.
“The people conduct these games apart from cock fights during these three days. Many people lose their money within seconds or minutes. Their families will suffer just for these games. The police should curb such games and protect the families,” said Mr P. Nageswara Rao from Sarpavaram.
Animal Rescue Organ-isation’s secretary Mr Gopal R. Surabathula said that if the police curbed cockfights, other forms of gambling games could be reduced.