Stage Set for Numerous Cockfights in Erstwhile Godavari District From Today

Kakinada:Stage is set for the conduct of traditional annual cockfights during the three-day Sankranti festival in the erstwhile Godavari districts of Kakinada, Konaseema, Eluru, and East and West Godavari, starting between 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

There are 10 major cockfight grounds in these districts, where hundreds of crores are to be bet during the festivities that will conclude till Friday. The overall betting amount is expected to cross ₹500 crore.

Apart from cockfights, arrangements have been made involving casinos, playing cards like Gundata and Kothata, and other attractions, including alcohol dispensers and food counters, aimed to lure gamblers and audience. There are four lines of barricading involving VVIPs, VIPs, bettors and audiences at the cockfight arenas.

Stakeholders have bid for Gundata courts at ₹1.50 lakhs each. At Pedamiram in West Godavari district and Muramalla in Konaseema district, apart from other places, the bidding has crossed ₹1 crore each for the cockfight grounds. Roosters will fight with sharp knives tied to the legs. Liquor will be sold between ₹30 to ₹50 above the MRP marked on the bottle.

Organisers have announced cars, Bullet motorcycles and other prizes for those who win bets and games organised as part of the various cockfights.

Key organisers have auctioned all the shops and grounds and pocketed the amounts. They have assured shop owners not to fear police or revenue officials. “There will be no raids over the three days. If at all, they will be for namesake,” the organisers have assured bettors.

There are guest rooms, including air-conditioned, foods of different varieties, singers, and bouncers.

Already, many bettors and people have reached their respective pre-arranged destinations from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Bhubaneswar and other places to view, play, and bet on the winning roosters.

Tourism minister Kandula Durgesh, a prominent Jana Sena leader, has openly come out in favour of the traditional gambling cockfights, though they have been banned by the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Participating in the Sankranthi Sambaralu at Atreyapuram involving boat races off the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage on Tuesday, Durgesh declared that cockfights will be held for all the three days of Sankranti Festival.

Inspired by his declaration, major cockfight arenas have been constructed at Peda Amiram, Muramalla, Gollavanithippa Road, Taderu, Narsingapuram, Kovvada-Annavaram, Sarpavaram, Karapa, Peravali, Janardhana, Gollapalem, Pullapalem, Kalagampudi, and Vetlapalem. It is said grounds have also been readied at Tuni, Prathipadu, Peddapuram, Jaggampeta, Peddapuram, Kakinada Rural, Kakinada Urban and all mandals in Konaseema, Eluru, East Godavari and West Godavari districts.

Striking a different chord, Home minister Vangalapudi Anitha said no permission has been granted for cockfights and police officials will check them in case they are organised at any place.