VIJAYAWADA: Ahead of Sankranti festivities, District Collector A Md Imtiaz said the administration has identified nine locations where arrangements were being made for cockfights.
The organisers were warned to stop them, failing which criminal action would be initiated against them.
The collector held a review meeting on Wednesday and took stock of the preparations to prevent gambling and violence in the name of cockfights. Speaking on the occasion, he noted that organising cockfights attracts criminal charges under section 10 of Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act and section 34 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Between January 1 and January 7, police registered 490 cases and arrested 527 persons, besides seizing Rs 5.57 lakh, eight motorcycles, 23 roosters and three rooster knives from them.
“We will keep a close watch till the conclusion of the festival. Section 144 has been put in place from January 5. Locations, where cockfights could be organised, have been identified across the district.
"The revenue teams will submit a daily vigilance report on the same,” the collector noted. District additional superintendent of police M Sattibabu said 821 cases were registered in December under various sections of AP Gaming Act, 1974.