KAKINADA: Come Sankranti and there is much hue and cry over cock fights. Though it is spectacular, the betting that goes into it is always frowned upon by the police who are gearing up to crack a whip on those involved in the game.With police department in East and West Godavari districts constantly keeping tabs on those involved in betting, politicians, on the other hand, are trying hard to convince the police to turn a blind eye to it. It is very likely that this is going to shape up into a cock fight between the mighty politicians and the powerful policemen.Cock fights are a tradition in the district which begin on Bhogi festival (on Saturday). It is also learnt that one minister from East Godavari district has asked the police to overlook the betting in cock fights and not be strict about it.Adding to this, the organizers also got a nod from their ‘political bosses’ from Hyderabad in this regard. With a strong political force backing cock fights, police are confused whether to prevent it or not.According to rules, holding cock fights is a crime.But, no one seems to be bothered about it.Interestingly, organizers of these cock fights are also inviting a few eminent persons from the Telugu film industry and politicians as guests this year for the three-day festival.There is information that the bets for cock fights are set to cross `10 crore this year. The organizers brought some special trainers from North India to impart special training to cocks.The trainers have also changed the menu for cocks this year and have suggested a new diet plan for the cocks which will keep them efficient by ensuring weight loss.Meanwhile, the training to fight with knives tied to their feet is also being imparted to them. The cost of each knife ranges between `200 to `800.A few cock-fight enthusiasts select the best eggs and spend `1,000 to `2,000 on it and take care of the cocks until they grow. They spend `50 for its food on a daily basis.Cocks are also trained in swimming. Special assistants are appointed on a monthly salary basis to take care of the cocks . The names of cocks will be decided based on their color such as Nemali, Kaki etc.With police already arresting nine persons and seizing 35 cocks in Konaseema area on Thursday, it is evident that a fight between organizers and the cops is brewing.
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