To wean away youth from banned games during Sankranti festival, the police are conducting games and sports in villages in Krishna and the Godavari districts.
The police, in association with some locals and some organisations, are conducting rangoli competitions, kite festival and other events.
“We request the parents to keep their children away from gambling, cockfights and other vices which will spoil their lives. The police also launched enforcement work in the hamlets to stop cockfights,” said Krishna district Superintendent of Police (SP) Siddharth Kaushal.
Banners have been erected in villages cautioning the people against organising gambling and cockfights during Sankranti. Besides, awareness meetings were being held against the banned games, the SP said on Wednesday.
In West Godavari district, police were conducting basket ball, volleyball, hockey, cricket, kho kho, kabaddi and other sports for the youth. Rangoli and kite festivals have been planned during the three-day festival, said SP Rahul Dev Sharma.
“Mahila Police have been pressed into service to collect information on cockfights. Services of Special Enforcement Bureau are being utilized to stop the bloodsport,” the SP said.
East Godavari SP M. Ravindranath Babu said banners with slogans ‘Jooda Kreedalu Vaddu – Sampradaya Kreedalu Muddu’ were put up in many villages in the district.
Prizes were being distributed to the winners in games and sports. The DSPs, CIs and Station House Officers have been instructed to take steps to prevent cockfights during Sankranti festivities, Mr. Ravindranath Babu said.
“Special control rooms and joint action teams will be formed at divisional level to intensify raids in villages. Drones will be used at the police station-level to prevent rooster fights,” Mr. Kaushal said.
The Police, Revenue and other department officials will move around villages, book cases against the cockfight organizers, gamblers and punters, who conduct the games, the SP added.
“Apart from awareness programmes, banners were put up as per the High Court directions against rooster fights in the villages. Stern action will be taken against those conducting cockfights and gambling on the pretext of Sankranti festivities,” Mr. Sharma warned.