Committees formed to check cockfights in Krishna district

Vijayawada: The Krishna district administration has formed mandal/village committees for the effective implementation of the orders issued by the Andhra Pradesh High Court for preventing cockfights during the Sankranti festival.

District Collector Md Imtiaz issued orders for the formation of mandal-level committees with the following members: Mandal tahsildar, mandal development officer, sub-inspector of police, assistant director of the Animal Husbandry Department, Executive Officer of the Panchayat Raj department.

Municipal commissioners are added to the list in municipal towns. The village level committees comprise of panchayat secretary of concerned village/ward, village revenue officer of the concerned village/ward and Mahila police of the concerned village/ward.

Cockfights are very popular in Krishna, East and West Godavari districts during the Sankranti festival. Big arenas will be arranged by punters for the cockfights and crores of rupees change hands during the cockfights. Animal lovers and NGOs have been raising hue and cry for a long time to check the cockfights because thousands of roosters die in the blood sport.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court issued orders to check the cockfights in the State this festival.

On the instructions of the Krishna District Collector Md Imtiaz, the mandal level committees were formed in the district. In Nuzvid, the committee was formed with mandal tahsildar M Suresh Kumar, MPDO G Rani, Municipal Commissioner Abdul Rasheed, sub inspector of police, One Town A Ganesh Kumar, Nuzvid rural sub-inspector Ch Ranjit Kumar, Assistant Director of Animal Husbandry department G Uma, mandal animal husbandry officer Ch Hanumantha Rao and Executive Officer of Panchayat Raj department Saraswati.

The mandal level committees keep vigil on the mandal and take action against the organisers of cockfights. Krishna District Collector Imtiaz Ahmed and Superintendent of Police M Ravindranath Babu and Vijayawada Police Commissioner B Srinivasulu warned that stern action would be taken against the culprits indulging in cockfights, gambling and other activities. Cases would be booked under the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act 1974 and Section 34 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 to seize animals being used for cockfights.