The police in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district ‘bound over’ 912 persons, registered 296 FIRs, and seized 638 cock knives as part of their efforts to crack down on illegal activities during the festival of ‘Makar Sankranti’.
“So far 296 FIRs were registered in which 912 persons were ‘bound over’ and 638 knives were seized from January 1 till January 9,” said an official.
The police used tractors and JCBs to destroy the cockfight venues generally arranged near paddy fields. They personally supervised tractors and JCBs to plow the plains ideal for cockfights.
Similarly, joint inspection teams of local police and revenue officials served notices to known cockfight organizers and players, including knife manufacturers and veterinary experts who treat the roosters.
Many cockfight organizers and past cockfight players were ‘bound over’ under Section 110 (E) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPc).
“‘Bound over’ is more of a preventive measure. It does not lead to a criminal trial as an IPC case does. It enforces good behavior bond on the respondent, hence ‘bind over’, violation of which can lead to fines or even imprisonment in rare cases,” Prakasam district Superintendent of Police (SP), Siddharth Kaushal, told IANS.
He said ‘bind over’ cases could be grounds for registration of an IPC case subsequently or even just summon a person to the police station repeatedly.
According to Adnan Nayeem Asmi, east Godavari SP, a ‘bind over’ case makes it compulsory for a person to refrain from committing any cognizable offense and maintain good behavior.
“Police official produces a suspect before the Magistrate,” said Asmi.
Meanwhile, east Godavari police have also served notices to some small business owners whose equipment aids cockfights and gambling.
“Notices have been served to tent house managements not to lend ‘shamiyanas’ (tents), chairs, etc for organizing cockfights and other games,” said an East Godavari police official.
Just like in most districts, police made announcements through a public address system in the villages to raise awareness. They reminded people that cockfights, poker, ‘gun data’ (dice rolled board game), and others were prohibited.
Tying notices on auto-rickshaws, the police toured villages while making the announcements.
On Sunday evening, the district police raided a gambling den at a poultry farm at N.N. Patnam village in Routhulapudi Mandal under the jurisdiction of Tuni rural police station.
One Medapati Bhanuchandra Murthy, organizer, and 16 more gamblers were arrested leading to the seizure of Rs 1.27 lakh cash and playing cards. The police also seized 15 cell phones and 11 two-wheelers.
In the neighboring west Godavari district, Eluru police arrested three persons and seized 500 more knives.
West Godavari district, especially Bhimavaram and several villages along the JP Road such as Seesali, Kallakuru, Aibhimavaram, and others are known epicentres of cockfights during the Makar Sankranti celebrations.
The festival fever has already gripped several places in the state. On Sunday, festival shoppers were busy buying new clothes for Makar Sankranti in Bhimavaram.
The Coastal City Centre mall and several restaurants buzzed with people preparing for Makar Sankranti.
Similarly, NH-65, the major roadways from Hyderabad in Telangana to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, is buzzing with traffic as many Makar Sankranti celebrants are preferring personal transport.
