Cockfights held in Andhra Pradesh despite ban

NRIs and punters from various States throng the specially set up arenas

Despite a ban on the blood sport, cockfights were organised under floodlights in specially set up arenas at many villages in the State as part of the Sankranti celebrations.

Ignoring the police warnings and the efforts to wean them away from the banned activity, thousands of punters from various countries and the neighbouring States participated in the cockfights in the districts of West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Nellore, and in the Rajamahendravaram Urban areas.

People thronged the cockfight arenas in large numbers at Bhimavaram, Palakollu, Narsapuram, Kalla, Jangareddygudem, Kovvur, Gudivada, Kalidindi, Akiveedu, Challapalli, Dindi, Razole, Jaggannapeta, Kankipadu, Manikonda, Rajanagaram, and Gokavaram. In some villages, traffic movement was severely affected.