Tech-Savvy AP police to use drones to curb cockfights

Every year, despite taking strict measures, the organisers successfully conduct cockfights and gambling in faraway farmlands and secluded places. This time, the police say they would use drones to identify such spots and prevent the banned game during the Sankranti.

The AP high court had banned cockfights because of the violence these inflicted on cocks. Yet, there has been a huge patronage to the game in rural areas, mainly the coastal Godavari, Krishna, Bapatla, Guntur and adjacent districts.

Local political leaders use their influence to conduct cockfights in the name of Sankranti festival fun programmes and hence the hands of the police are tied. The Andhra people who live in Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and other areas come to their native places in AP for the three-day Sankranti festival to enjoy festivities including cockfights and other entertainment. Betting is held and huge sums change hands.

According to reports, the organisers are making elaborate arrangements this time to conduct cockfights under floodlights. The Sankranti arenas on the banks of the Krishna and the Godavari in Krishna, Eluru, NTR and other districts are very famous. Interestingly film stars, businessmen, NRIs and celebrities from not only Telugu states but also other states will join the arenas with their families.

To curb the cockfight, the police are planning to deploy drones to check the games besides conducting awareness programmes explaining the consequences of participating in the illegal activity during the festival. However, allegations are that the police and politicians take a cut from the earnings that gangs make from this game.

Recently, the police raided a factory manufacturing knives used in cockfights near Nuzvid in the Eluru district and seized a huge quantity of knives, raw materials and equipment. The police said that drone surveillance was implemented in several areas prone to illegal activities. Krishna district collector Balaji directed the officers to constitute teams and prevent cockfights.