`2,000 cr at stake as bets placed on cockfights
Andhra Pradesh is expected to witness nearly `2,000 crore changing hands as part of betting in the Sankranti cockfights in on Monday and Tuesday. The last year, `1,000 crore transactions registered during Sankranti cockfights and this year the public participation is going to increase due to conducting of cockfights with the help of politicos.
The police warned not to organise cockfights as a blood sports game and gambling but the organisers in majority of the districts in AP conducting cockfights as bloodshed competitions with the betting part violates the norms. The people in large numbers are rushing to the Kodi Pandala Barulu (cockfight arenas) to view the cockfights Bhogi on Monday on the first day of three day Sankranti festival. The organisers in the name of traditional cockfights arranged arenas with drinks and dining facilities.
According to reports, the organisers with the help of politicians are organising deadly cockfights in which sharp knives are tied to the legs of cocks in the arenas. Further, card games and gambling is also on organised in the cockfight arenas which are erected in the remote areas amidst tight private security.
According to reports, Telugu Desam senior leader Raavi Venkateswara Rao inaugurated the cockfights at Gudivada in the Krishna district. TD MP Maganti Venkateswara Rao started and viewed cockfights in
the cockfight arenas in Atapaka with other leaders. Undi MLA Sivarama Raju started cockfights in the Kalla Mandal and encouraged the punters and the public.
Penam-alur TD MLA Prasad started cockfights in the arenas at Edupugallu. The people in large numbers participated in the cockfights at
Kotturu Tadepalli on the outskirts of Vijayawada city.
The cockfights besides highway and remote areas in West Godavari, East Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Visakhapatnam, Prakasam and other districts conducted as a blood sport without allowing journalists and officials.