Despite a Supreme Court ban on cockfights, the ‘sport’ continued unabated in many districts of Andhra with crores of rupees gambled on them.
The cockfights reportedly took place in the open in the districts of Krishna, West Godavari, East Godavari and Visakhapatnam.
According to The New Indian Express, the cockfights were organised in Edupugallu, Ibrahimpatnam, G Konduru, Vyuru, Gudivada, Kanchikacherla, Nandigama and Gannavaram.
The events were organised by several politicians, while police denied it, says the report.
BJP leader Kanumuri Raghu Ramakrishnam Raju also organised a cockfight at his guest house.
The leader had recently approached the court seeking a stay on the ban but the court had dismissed it.
In Eluru, Undi MLA VV Sivaramaraju and TTD former board member Gokaraju Rangaraju, brother of MP Gokaraju Gangaraju, took part in the events.
In Muramalla, Rajamundry, organisers set up a mini stadium for the competitions, despite police warning them against it.
The stadium can accommodate around 2,500 persons and has a parking facility, TNIE reported.
Meanwhile, police raided several places to stop the event in Eluru. Kakinada collector Karthikeya Mishra and Superintendent Vishal Gunni held a video conference recently to curb the violent sport and set up police teams to crack down on cockfights in the state.
Aiming to stop the events, 100 police teams were formed in Kakinada and 60 teams in Rajamahendravam.
However, despite the increased vigil of the police, organisers conducted the events.
Kakinada MP Thota Narasimham and Pithapuram MLA SVSN Varma, both leaders of the TDP, were recently caught on camera participating in the cockfight, defying the court order.
Recently, the Supreme Court had upheld the High Court’s order banning the violent sport.
It noted that the ‘sport’ should be banned not just during Sankranti, but on all occasions.