Crores bet on Andhra’s festive bloodsport in defiance of HC orders

HUndreds of crores of rupees allegedly changed custody in the carry on of cockfights, a traditional feature during the Sankranti festivities, in different parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh on midweek and th, defying directions from the state high court and restrictions imposed by the police, people familiar with the matter said.Hundreds of makeshift arenas, resembling cricket stadiums, were set up across the Godavari belt for the blood sport, in which two trained roosters fitted with razor-sharp blades and knives on their legs are pitched against each other for a fight. The fight continues till one of the cocks either dies or backs off.“At least ₹1,000 crore change hands in a span of three days of festival, which began with Bhogi on Wednesday and Sankranti on Thursday. It will end with Kanuma festivities on Friday,” said S Veerraju from Bhimavaram in West Godavari district.On Monday, Andhra Pradesh high court directed that the state government and district authorities strictly enforce laws prohibiting cockfights and associated betting activities during the Sankranti festivities.A high court bench headed by justice Venkata Jyothirmai Pratapa, while disposing of a batch of writ petitions, asked the government to constitute committees to prevent cruelty towards animals and formation of joint inspection teams comprising police officers, tahsildars, and representatives from animal welfare organisations to prevent cockfights.The judge asked district collectors, especially in West Godavari, East Godavari, Krishna, and Guntur to identify cockfight venues and prevent their use by invoking Section 144 CrPC if necessary. She also directed the authorities to seize instruments and betting money and warned of personal accountability for lapses in enforcing the norms.In some parts of Andhra, the police dismantled cockfighting arenas. In Krishna Rao Palem village of Chatrai mandal in Eluru district, the police destroyed makeshift tents erected for organising cockfights. “Organising cockfighting and gambling during festivals is a punishable offence. Strict legal action would be taken against organisers, financiers, and participants,” Eluru district superintendent of police Pratap Shiva Kishore said.Yet, cockfighting and high-stakes gambling were held on a massive scale across the erstwhile West Godavari, East Godavari and Krishna districts. Thousands of spectators from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu thronged the venues. “At every village across Konaseema district, one can find hundreds of high-end cars, SUVs and motorbikes were seen blocking the thoroughfares,” said S Shashanka from Hyderabad, who went to see the cockfights in Rajahmundry and surroundings.Several political leaders took part in the cockfights, betting money on the winning roosters. Andhra Pradesh assembly deputy speaker K Raghu Ramakrishnam Raju, former minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Rajya Sabha member Sana Satish Babu took part in the game in Bhimavaram.Several MLAs, including Pathsamata Dharma Raju, Chirri Balraju, Chintamaneni Prabhakar and Kamineni Srinivas, besides Telangana MLAs Kanakaiah and Adinarayana were also seen at some arenas.