A punter counting currency notes at a cockfight arena, near Gannavaram, in Krishna district ahead of the harvest festival.
| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO
The police are preparing to use technology to prevent cockfights during Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh this year.
The banned bloodsport, which has huge patronage in the rural areas, is conducted in a big way during the harvest festival every year.
Since its ban by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in 2016, the police have been trying to enforce it and prevent cruelty towards the birds.
“In the name of fun, cockfights are being organised throughout the year in Krishna, NTR, Eluru and Godavari districts, particularly during Sankranti. Despite the ban, rooster fights are conducted in a big way every year,” says V. Shekar, a native of Penamaluru in Krishna district.
“The lush green fields soak with blood and lakhs of birds die in the battle every year. Amid applause, the villagers enjoy the bloodsport in the orchards. Under the pretext of tradition, cockfight organisers kill the birds in huge numbers during the harvest festival,” says Pusala Jyothsna, an animal lover.
The organisers are making elaborate arrangements to conduct cockfights under floodlights. Arenas are being arranged on the banks of the Krishna and the Godavari in Krishna, Eluru, NTR and other districts.
Realtors, businessmen, NRIs, film stars and celebrities from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and other States attend the cockfight arenas with their families. Some crores of rupees change hands in the bettings conducted at such arenas.
This year, the police are planning to deploy drones to check cockfights. They police are conducting awareness programmes on the banned game and explaining to the villagers the consequences of participating in the illegal activity during the festival.
Recently, the police raided a factory manufacturing knives used in the cockfights near Nuzvid in Eluru district, and seized huge quantity of knives, raw material and equipment used in their making.
The police were also raiding the gambling dens and cockfight arenas, and binding over habitual offenders and those arrested in cockfight cases earlier.
“Cockfights are banned under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the A.P. Gaming Act, 1974,” say activists of the Animal Welfare Board of India, while appealing to the government to take measures to stop cockfights.
“We will deploy drones this year. Many cockfight organisers and gamblers have been bound over so far,” said a police officer.
Krishna district Collector D.K. Balaji directed the officers concerned to constitute teams and take steps to prevent cockfights.
Police Commissioner S.V. Rajashekar Babu said steps would be taken to enforce the ban on on cockfights.
Published – January 05, 2025 06:48 pm IST
