Khammam: Sankranti and cockfights are synonymous for the people of five mandals of Khammam that borders AP. And to confuse the police of the two states, organisers have chosen these mandals for cockfight.
Lakhs of rupees change hands as defying the police ban, people in Dammapet, Aswa-raopet, Sattupalli, Penuballi and Vemsoor mandals bet on cockfights as part of Sankranti.
Friends and relatives living elsewhere are invited by locals of these five mandals to watch or get involved in the banned sport. These mandals have a 200-km border with Krishna and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh.
Interestingly, cops crossing the state borders is routine during Sankranti.
“There is lot of procedure to follow for a cop from one state to enter another to arrest a person or prevent a cockfight. They need to take permission from the respective district SP. But such procedures are not being followed by cops of the two states,” said A. Seshaiah, a businessman in Aswaraopet.
There are different beliefs, customs and rules followed in a cockfight. Some believe that adivasis should carry the birds that will be fighting; others that the knives used in the fights should be sharpened with honey. People also follow auspicious dates and times for cock fights.
A farmer in Dammapet has reared 10 varieties of cocks like kaki dega and pacha kaki in his farm.
