VIJAYAWADA: The police on Wednesday claimed that they have registered over 7,000 cases in four coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, including East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur, for flouting the High Court orders on cockfights. The police have seized 500 roosters, 600 knives, 300 vehicles and `1.07 crore from them.More than 1,000 cases were registered against 1,658 persons in Krishna district, including Vijayawada Police Commissionerate limits. The police also seized 947 knives and 669 roosters and recovered Rs 10.63 lakh from them.
DCP Law and Order -I Gajarao Bhupal said that they have conducted surprise raids at the arenas where cockfights were organised on the last day of the festival (Kanuma) and took all the punters and gamblers into their custody. “Cases were registered against punters, gamblers and public representatives who organised and participated in cockfights. Action will be initiated against them for defying the court orders,” he said.
During a press conference held at Machilipatnam on Wednesday, Krishna district SP Sarva Sresta Tripathi said of the total 1,000 cases, 638 cases were registered against 703 persons under sections 9 (1) and (2) of Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 1974 for conducting cockfights and gambling. The police recovered `7 lakh from them. In addition to that, 319 bind-over cases were booked against punters in Krishna district for violating the court orders. The situation is alarming in Guntur district with the police registering more than 4,700 cases in both rural and urban limits. The police took 4,754 persons into custody and recovered `67 lakh from them.
Major crackdown
More than 1,000 cases were registered against 1,658 persons in Krishna district
4,700 cases were registered in both rural and urban limits of Guntur district
722 cases were registered against 2,805 persons in West Godavari district
Around 1,000 cases were booked against gamblers in East Godavari district