After a long time, large-scale cockfights were organized in the coastal Andhra districts of the erstwhile East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, and Guntur, blatantly disregarding High Court directives and police restrictions.
Reports indicate that over ₹3,000 crore changed hands in the form of betting on cockfights, alongside gambling and other illegal activities during the past three days.
In West Godavari alone, the turnover was approximately ₹700 crore, while in East Godavari, it exceeded ₹1,500 crore.
Several political leaders from the TDP-led coalition openly participated in the cockfights, showing little regard for police warnings.
Deputy Speaker Kanumuru Raghu Ramakrishnam Raju, MP Putta Mahesh, and several MLAs attended the events at Pedda Amiram village in West Godavari.
Revenue Minister Satya Prasad, MP Sri Krishnadevarayalu, former MP Mopidevi Venkataramana, and film producer Nagavamshi were present at cockfights in Bapatla.
In Muramalla, the events were overseen by Mumidivaram MLA Datla Buchibabu, while Amalapuram and Kakinada MPs Harish Mathur and Uday Srinivas were also in attendance.
At Bhujabalapatnam in Kaikaluru mandal, Minister Kollu Ravindra, MP Mahesh Yadav, and MLA Sudhakar Yadav were spotted witnessing the cockfights.
The events, illuminated by floodlights, featured TV replays to ensure transparency and bouncers for crowd control, lending them a corporate-like vibe. Alcohol and non-vegetarian feasts transformed every arena into a festive ground.
The presence of young women engaging in gambling games and people carrying bundles of cash in vegetable bags were among the notable scenes.
