Rs 300 crore changes hands at rooster fight arenas

Police warnings & court orders fail to prevent cockfights; blood sport draws massive crowds in coastal districts
A rooster fight being organised near Ramavarappadu in Vijayawada as part of Sankranti festivities on Monday
A rooster fight being organised near Ramavarappadu in Vijayawada as part of Sankranti festivities on Monday Photo I Prasant Madugula
Updated on
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VIJAYAWADA/RAJAHMUNDRY/KAKINADA: As Sankranti festivities commenced across the State on Monday, rooster fight arenas came alive, with punters in areas such as Tadepalligudem placing bets as high as Rs 1 crore per fight.

On Bhogi, the first day of Sankranti, the banned blood sport saw transactions exceeding Rs 300 crore. Large arenas, spanning 5-10 acres in farmlands, were set up across the State, each with investments of around Rs 2 crore. Organisers made elaborate arrangements, including separate entrances for VIPs and the general public. Tents, barricades, LED screens, and floodlights were installed, while liquor sales thrived near these arenas.

Reports indicate that seven large arenas and approximately 50 smaller cockfighting rings were established in and around Vijayawada. Areas such as Ramavarapadu, Yanamalakuduru, Edupugallu, Ambapuram, Singh Nagar, and Uppururu in the erstwhile Krishna district witnessed bustling activity. An arena themed after the Venkateswara Swamy temple in Uppuluru drew large crowds. In Ampapuram, Bapulapadu mandal, an air-conditioned arena with extensive security measures, including iron bars, attracted considerable attention. Punters from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai joined the locals, further raising the stakes.

Despite repeated police warnings and court orders, illegal activities such as cockfights, poker, and Gundata remain rampant in several parts of the State, particularly in the Krishna-Guntur Delta, Godavari districts, Rayalaseema, and Uttarandhra regions during the Sankranti festival. The deeply-entrenched nature of this illegal activity continues unabated, with open commissions worth crores being reported.

The banned blood sport draws massive crowds, including women and children, who view cockfighting as an integral part of the harvest festival’s cultural traditions.

In the Godavari districts, cockfights are particularly prevalent during the three-day festival. Prominent locations include Kothapeta, Mummidivaram, Amalapuram, Razole, Devarapalli, Kovvur, Jangareddygudem, Bhimavaram, Tanuku, Undrajavaram, and Palakollu. While smaller arenas were dismantled, larger ones continued operations, with organisers reportedly paying Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to local leaders. One notable arena in S Yanam village, Amalapuram district, spanned four acres.

Organisers accepted payments through UPI, while private counters offered cash-for-card transactions, charging a 10% commission. A prominent arena near an apartment complex housing a State Minister and judges in Ramavarappadu, Vijayawada, segregated punters based on wager amounts, offering special seating and air-conditioned facilities.

According to sources, approximately Rs 800 crore is expected to be exchanged over the three-day festival in just the Godavari districts. Despite efforts by district collectors and police officials to curb the sport, influential leaders allegedly supported organisers, allowing the event to continue uninterrupted. Flex banners featuring public representatives were openly displayed along routes leading to the arenas, defying authorities. The fights typically begin a day before Bhogi and extend a day beyond Kanuma.

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