Police crack the whip on gamblers, rooster fight organisers in Eluru district

SP Pratap and his team conduct raids at multiple locations in the district over the past few days to discourage the public from taking part in the banned bloodsport

The Eluru district police are making efforts to stop rooster fights and other banned games during the Sankranthi festivities.

Despite a ban on rooster fights, organisers make elaborate arrangements for conducting the bloodsport and gambling at many places in Eluru district during the harvest festival every year.

The High Court has directed the government and the officials concerned to take measures to prevent rooster fights and gambling and to raise public awareness of the prohibited games.

Superintendent of Police K. Pratap Shiva Kishore has said police conducted raids at several places in the last few days and arrested many gamblers and gangs organising rooster fights.

The team led by Chintalapudi Circle Inspector Ravindra Naik conducted a raid on a gambling den at Shivapuram village in Eluru district on Saturday. They arrested 16 punters and seized ₹60,000 cash and mobile phones from them. Bhimadole CI J. Wilson and his staff raided a rooster fight arena in Mulasanikunta village in Dwaraka Tirumala mandal and arrested six persons.

Police seized ₹13,800 cash, roosters and mobile phones from the organisers, said Eluru Deputy Superintendent of Police D. Sravan Kumar, and asked the villagers to alert the police on illegal activities, if any, in villages by calling the nearest police station.

A few days ago, the Jeelugumilli police, led by Polavaram DSP M. Venkateswara Rao and CI B. Venkateswara Rao, arrested eight gamblers during a raid at Jeelugumilli and seized ₹4,400 cash from them.

The Agiripalli police raided Kanasanapalli village outskirts in Nuzvid Rural mandal a couple of days ago and arrested six persons for allegedly organising gambling. They seized ₹10,500 from the accused, the SP said.

The accused were produced in the courts and instructions have been given to the DSPs, Station House Officers (SHOs), and the beat police officers to check rooster fights and gambling in the district, Mr. Pratap Shiva Kishore said.

Published - November 17, 2024 07:10 pm IST