Vijayawada :
Winning big, losing big: That was the essence of cockfights held across the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, the first day of the three-day Sankranti festival.
Money running into nearly Rs.800-1,000 crore is being pumped into cockfights which went on with no holds barred on the first day despite the Supreme Court order on maintenance of status quo. As the apex court order is being interpreted in either way, police too played safe, allowing the blood sport.
In Vijayawada, women gathered at Gayatri Nagar and took part in the revelry as the cocks fought. It is the first time that cockfighting took place in the city in known times. Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) and MLAs Bonda Umamaheswara Rao and Gadde Ramamohan Rao and ZP chairperson Gadde Anuradha turned up at the venue.
The organisers claimed that no betting was involved and that the cocks had no razors tied to their legs.
At Vuyyur, close to the main road, tents were pitched and cockfights were organised without a care in the world. There was huge rush to watch the contests so much so that the organisers had to deploy private security guards to clear traffic.
At Gannavaram, there was a minor clash between two groups over organising cockfights. In a fit of rage, one group set fire to a car belonging to a member of the other group, which led to tension.
Under pressure from politicos, policemen looked the other way as cockfights are organised at several places in the coastal districts. As the Supreme Court order is being interpreted both ways, police did not act. They confined themselves to videotaping the contests so that if necessary they could take action at a later date.
In West Godavari, cockfight organisers formed into a syndicate this time and held the fights in the mandals of Bhimavaram, Eluru Rural, Pedavegi, Pedapadu, Denduluru, Undi, Yelamanchili, Narsapuram, Tanuku, Akiveedu, Palakoderu, Jangareddygudem, Kovvur, Nidadavolu and TP Gudem.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / January 15th, 2015