Fight cocks ready for sale in Godavari region

Amalapuram(Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema District): With Sankranti festival hardly one month away, rooster fight organisers in Godavari region are busy making arrangements for the traditional cockfights. They are gearing up to conduct cockfights during the three-day Sankranti festival in January.

It is very difficult to get a hotel room in southern parts of Godavari districts during this season. It is learnt that punters have booked hotels in Bhimavaram, Rajamahendravaram, Jangareddygudem, Eluru, Kovvur, Amalapuram, Razolu and other towns in advance for the harvest festival.

Already people are showcasing their prize cocks for sale in markets at several places like Muramalla, Gokavaram, Jaggampeta, Narsipatnam, Bhimavaram, Eluru, Kakinada Rural, Dwarampudi, Pithapuram, Amalapuram, Razolu, Devipatnam, Rampachodavaram, Chinturu and other places.

The rearers are taking the birds to the markets and fixing a price ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000 per each cock.

Around 30 varieties of fight cocks including Tella Nemali, Kaki, Dega and Hamsa are on display and their prices will be fixed as per their colour, height and weight. The rearers said that they feed cashew, eggs, mutton and other special diets to the fighting cocks. They train them in swimming and other techniques to enhance their stamina. Special training is being given to roosters for the last 10 to 11 months.

The rearers said that any person, who buys a prize cock, has to feed it with huge quantities of nutritious food.

According to sources, software engineers, rice exporters, rice millers and aqua farmers are playing a key role in conducting rooster fights in the region.

Some farmers and villagers are giving training to fowls for fight. Reliable sources say that nearly Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 crore is invested on cockfight betting.

Despite High Court orders and police vigilance, cockfights have been going on without any hindrance for the last 50 years in the region. People are very much interested in buying fighting cocks in order to participate in cockfight betting.

Eluru range DIG G Palraju said that they have alerted the police department to prevent cockfights and book bind over cases against the organisers, who had history of organising cockfights and betting. He said that instructions have been issued to the police of Eluru, West Godavari, East Godavari, Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema and Kakinada districts to make arrangements for conducting traditional sports in their respective areas in the wake of Pongal festival in all villages. He said police are busy in tracing knives manufacturers and book bind over cases against them.