Kakinada/Vijayawada/Nellore: Despite the Supreme Court ruling, cockfight organisers are firm on conducting the events for Sankranti.
Politicians, too, will be indulging in the banned sport. While the Andhra Pradesh government is serious about stopping cockfights, the organisers will be going ahead with the traditional game.
The police has booked bind-over cases against 1,600 people as a precautionary action in Nellore, East and West Godavari Districts.
AP deputy CM Nimmakayala Chinna Rajappa has made it clear that police action would be taken according to the SC directive.
He said that the government would not entertain any form of gambling and the law would take its own course if people resorted to the banned cockfights.
East Godavari district superintendent of police M. Ravi Prakash said that action would be taken against cockfight organizers and participants for gambling. He said that 55 cases had already been booked and 200 persons were taken in bind-over cases.
West Godavari district superintendent of police K. Raghurami Reddy has formed special teams to stop cockfights.
Police personnel on Tuesday distributed pamphlets in villages and asked people not to indulge in cockfights.
Nearly 1,200 persons have been taken under bind-over cases here.
However, Mr Reddy said that he would take legal opinion about allowing cockfights where knives were not used and no gambling was involved.
Nellore district superintendent of police, S. Sendhil Kumar also said that the Supreme Court’s order would be followed and violators would be dealt with firmly.
In Vijayawada, cockfights will apparently be organised by some Telugu Desam leaders on Wednesday, Bhogi day, courtesy corporator Chennupati Gandhi and others.
Cockfights will be conducted near the Chennai-Kolkata national highway in Gayatrinagar. Vijayawada East MLA Gadde Ramamohana Rao, Vijayawada MLA B. Umamaheswara Rao and others are supporting the cockfights.
