Hyderabad: The High Court at Hyderabad banned cockfighting and asked district collectors to ensure that no such events takes place in December 2015. This was later upheld by the Supreme Court.
Despite the ban many organisers prepared months in advance for the events in East Godavari, West Godavari and the coastal districts.
The leaders from the TD-BJP alliance inaugurated an illegal cockfighting event at several places on Thursday.
Huge pandals were set up where cockfights betting, gambling and other illegal things were organised in the Godavari districts.
The total turnover of cock fight during the three-day of harvest festival at Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam,
Vizianagaram and East Godavari districts is Rs 500 crore.
The Roosters were tied with sharp knives and pitted against each other. They are forced to fight until one on them drops dead or is too injured to even stand up.
The police too got the message to be lenient towards traditional style cockfights and to book cases only against those who organised Gundata and gambling. A senior police officer in the city said.”We are keeping a strict vigil, but the involvement of
politicians has minimised our role.”
Activists from Animal Welfare Board of India, opposed on such events, where cruelty to birds are witnessed and also
under the guise of tradition, illegal activities like betting and sale of illicit liquor, dominates during these cockfights.
Animal Welfare Board of India honorary welfare officer P.B.K.Acharyulu said, “We are building up evidence against the government as it failed to curb cockfights despite giving an assurance on it to the HC. We will submit it in the HC seeking action against the government as a large number of birds are being subjected to cruelty for fun.”