Kakinada: Cockfights accompanied by high-stakes betting as well as gambling, all accompanied by sumptuous meals, are set to begin on Sunday evening in the erstwhile East and West Godavari districts to celebrate Sankranti, in spite of the official ban on the practice and police officials warning against it.
The rooster fights, gambling and associated events go on till Tuesday morning. Organisers have set up grounds and created other infrastructure for those attending the events.
A cockfight organiser has fixed the entry fee at '5,000 which includes non-vegetarian food.
Prize roosters are being sold at prices ranging from '50,000 to '2 lakh, going by their record, upbringing and weight. The birds have been strengthened with rich food like badam, pista, cashew, mutton and chicken. Knives that are tied to the claws of the birds are also ready, though the practice is illegal.
According to reports, cockfight ground have been prepared at many places including Veeravasaram, Thethali, Denduluru, Palakollu, Achanta, Katrenikona, Allavaram and Guthulavaripalem, Kodurupadu, Devaguptam, Yedurlanka, Uppalaguptam, S.Yanam, Challapalli, Bhimanapallli, Kamanagaruvu, Konkapalli, Indupalli, Seethanagaram, Pithapuram, Gollaprolu and Chidiga of Rajamahendravaram Rural mandal.
In a departure from custom, cockfights will not be organised in Godi village of Allavaram mandal. Organisers said they had incurred losses last year because the police did not allow the Gundata gambling game which attracts intense interest as well as highi income, and also other events which feature prize money.
If Gundata is not allowed, there won’t be an enthusiastic response for cockfights, sources explained.
Political party leaders used to participate in the cockfights directly but now, due to court orders, they are operating from behind the scenes by helping organisers secure unofficial ‘permission’ from officials.
The 15 main hotels in Bhimavaram are fully occupied. A hotelier, Satyanarayana Raju, said that all rooms were full. Adding to the rush of visitors were some that sold their properties and moved away but were coming back for the festival and the cockfights.
Meanwhile, police of Nidamarru, Denduluru, Velerupadu, Palakoderu, Kakinada Rural and others destroyed cockfight grounds at Velerupadu mandal on Saturday.
Velerupadu sub-inspector Lakshminarayana said that some organisers were wrongly claiming that they had secured police permission for the events. No permission had been given, he clarified.
East Godavari superintendent of police P. Jagadish warned organisers not to conduct rooster fights as it is against the law and that there were court orders against it. He said that strict action would be taken against those organizing cock fights or gambling events.
