Cockfights continue despite curbs

Vijayawada (NTR District): Despite ban on cockfights with knives, cockfights and gambling (Gundata) continued in many parts of Krishna district on Sunday and Monday marking Sankranti festival. Cockfight arenas were set up with tight security and thousands of cockfight lovers visited villages and interior places to watch the blood sport.

Rooster fights were held in Bandar, Pedana, Pamarru, Vuyyur, Avanigadda, Gannavaram, Penamaluru Kruttivennu and many other places on Saturday and Sunday. Arenas were arranged in the interior areas of Eedupgallu and Yanamalakuduru where a large number of people gathered and watched the death game.

Thousands of cars were seen on Vijayawada-Machilipatnam highway. Large number of vehicles with TS registration were seen in Machilipatnam, Gudivada, Gannavaram, Pamarru and other places. Thousands of crores of rupees changed hands in the betting.

Hoteliers in Machilipatnam, Pedana, Gudivada and other places had a brisk business with all the rooms occupied by the visitors. Hotel room prices skyrocketed, and some hotels charged Rs 10,000 for AC double room.

Vehicles lined up on Machilipatnam - Narasapuram highway. Many cockfight lovers, who could not get hotel rooms in Bhimavaram, took rooms in Machilipatnam and stayed for the night. These visitors can travel from Bandar to Narasapuram in less than two hours and reach the cockfight arenas.

Compared to Bhimavaram hotel rooms, Machilipatnam and Gudivada hotel rooms are economical, hence many people preferred hotel rooms in Machilipatnam.

At the same time, there was a huge demand for liquor and biriyani as people spend crores of rupees on food and liquor enjoying the three-day Sankranti festival season in coastal Andhra Pradesh, particularly Godavari and erstwhile Krishna and Guntur districts.

Police allegedly stayed away from cockfight arenas and making it easy for the organisers to continue the blood game and spending of thousands of crore rupees. Compared to previous year, the number of visitors increased and cockfight arenas also increased in Krishna and Godavari regions.