KHAMMAM: With Makar Sankranti on the horizon, residents in the border villages of Telangana, especially in the erstwhile Khammam district, are gearing up for cockfights. Millions of rupees are expected to change hands during the three-day Sankranti festivities over cockfighting in the region.
During the Sankranti festival, cockfights are a major spectacle in Andhra Pradesh with locals viewing this blood sport as a cherished tradition. Such events will be held in different parts for three consecutive days. While the Telangana police have issued strict directives against holding cockfights, the culture has permeated into the border villages, especially owing to its proximity to Andhra Pradesh.
Despite interventions by the cops, a few locals, enticed by the lure of easy money, persist in planning secret cockfight events in remote villages near the AP border. On Sunday, the Burgampahad police raided cockfighting camps in the Krishnasagar forest area, which led to the arrest of five people and the seizure of seven motorbikes, Rs 3,000 in cash and nine mobile phones.
N Rama Rao, a resident of Burgampahad, said, “During Sankranti, cockfights are common in this area, but organisers usually choose secret locations due to the fear of police intervention.”
The culture of cockfighting has extended into the Bhadrachalam division, given its proximity to East Godavari in AP. There are reports of plans to hold cockfights in Satthupalli, Dammapet, Aswaraopet, Mulakalapalli, Vemsoor, Duddipudi, Bharanipadu and Venkatapuram in Khammam district.
On the opposite, K Narayana, a resident of Bhadrachalam, said, “We find joy in participating in cockfights, especially since they take place just once a year.”
Khammam police commissioner Sunil Dutt warned organizers of any plan to conduct cock fights. Kothagudem SP B Rohith Raju said stringent action would be initiated against persons if any play or conduct cock fight as the government banned cock fights in Telangana.
While Khammam Commissioner of Police (CP) Sunil Dutt issued a warning to cockfight organisers, Kothagudem SP B Rohith Raju pointed out that the Telangana government has banned such events and added that stringent action against those either participating or organising the blood sport.