Kakinada: Cockfights were organised with impunity in East and West Godavari Districts on the first day of Sankranti when the Boghi fire was also lit on Sunday.
In spite of prohibitory orders and instructions by the High Court not to hold the sport, cockfights were conducted uninterruptedly. Chief Minister N. Chandrababau Naidu had advised MLAs and MPs not to participate in the cockfights. Some MLAs were still seen participating in cockfights.
Police could, however, manage to prevent the sport being arranged on some of the major grounds at Vempa and Bhimavaram in West Godavari Districts as Mr Ramachandra Raju approached the Court against the cockfights and K. Raghuramakrishnam Raju of Bhimavaram in favour of cockfights. There was some tension at the major ground at Vempa village where there erupted a verbal argument between police and organisers. But, the police deployed police battalions, headed by Narasarapuram DSP.
According to sources, Pithapuram MLA S.V.S.N. Varma inaugurated the cockfights at YSR Grounds at Pithapuram in which many ruling party leaders participated. Polavaram MLA M. Srinivasa Rao at Buttayigudem mandal, Unguturu MLA G. Veeranjaneyulu and Undi MLA Siva Ramaraju in their constituencies in his constituency inaugurated and participated in the traditional sport.
Many of the cockfight grounds turned into 'small townships' with facilities like liquor, fast food, tiffins, vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals being available. Sites for gambling such as playing cards, gundata and others were also available. At Mummidivaram, a dispute emerged between two groups in which one person was injured.
According to receiving information, there were held auctions for organizing the cockfight games and a minimum of Rs.2 lakh to Rs.8 lakh per ground has been paid to the ruling party leaders or village elders in the villages. In Thimmapuram and Panasapadu villages, the ruling party leaders collected Rs.1 lakh each for Gundata gambling game organizers from 13 persons and Rs.3 lakh to Rs.5 lakh from cockfight organizers. At Muramalla village in Mummidivaram mandal, the betting was held in long range. It is learnt that many VIPs reached the place and participated but, the organizers have not allowed the media people. Sources said that the East Godavari SP Vishal Gunni has taken serious about the Muramalla issue.
West Godavari SP M. Ravi Prakash said that they could prevent the gambling including cockfights in many places with the major grounds at Vempa and Sriramavaram being totally free from seeing the sport being held.
