With betting running into tens of crores of rupees over cockfights in the past week in Seemandhra region, the venues of these events on Wednesday were used by some politicians to reach out to the people in West Godavari district, while police arrested 17 people in Kadapa and nine others in Nellore districts.
A report from Eluru said that the fever of cockfights reached every nook and corner in the district and the presence of NRIs at Vempa in the delta region became a special attraction. Liquor flowed freely while there was hardly any presence of law enforcement agencies in the last two days.
Seemandhra movement found its echo during cockfights in Bhimavaram town when TDP leader and former Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav faced a boisterous crowd of integrationists when he visited a temple. Mr. Yadav visited the town to watch cockfights.
YSR Congress leader Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, who witnessed cockfight at Prakruti Asramam near Bihmavaram, expressed hope that the next Sankranti too would be celebrated in united Andhra Pradesh. The Asramam provided exclusive enclosure for women.
Another YSRC leader and ticket aspirant from Narsapur Lok Sabha constituency, Kanumuri Raghurama Raju, visited the Assembly segments, while TDP legislator Chintamaneni Prabhabakar organised a mega event at Koppaka in his Denduluru constituency.
A report from Nellore said police conducted a raid on a cockfight venue at Doravarisatram, arrested nine people and seized seven birds. In Kadapa, police raided Peddasettipalle village in Mydukur mandal and arrested 17 people involved in cockfight, besides cash of Rs.7,300 and four roosters.
