Police are making arrangements to implement the court orders strictly on cockfights. They formed nearly 300 teams to keep a vigil in villages to stop the blood sport.
Besides, many persons were bound over in Krishna, West Godavari, Guntur and East Godavari districts. Police are conducting awareness meetings; explaining the consequences of conducting cockfights and betting on the banned game.
“In West Godavari, we formed about 60 teams with Revenue, Animal Husbandry and NGOs. Instructions have been given to distribute pamphlets, paste wall posters and arrange banners in villages on the High Court orders and the action (that would be taken) if cockfights are organised during Sankranti,” said Superintendent of Police (SP) M. Ravi Prakash.
Police will conduct volleyball, football, kabaddi and other sports and games for the youth in villages during the festival. They had intensified patrolling in areas where cockfight cases were booked earlier, the SP said.
Krishna district SP Sarvasreshta Tripati said that special teams would keep tabs on those selling roosters, tying knives and those making arrangements to organise cockfights. “In Reddygudem village, the MRO Shiva Kumar, MPDO Ramakrishna Naik, police and other officers conducted a meeting against cockfights in Janmabhoomi Ma Vooru programme on Tuesday,” said Reddygudem Special Officer D. Anjaneya Reddy.
