Police arrest people involved in rooster fights and gambling in Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts

Despite efforts to educate the public and enforce rules, certain areas in Anakapalli district, especially those near Kakinada district, saw illegal activities during the recent Bhogi and Sankranti festivals. The most common activities involved were rooster fights, gambling, and a game called ‘gundata’. Following the instructions from Superintendent of Police K.V. Murali Krishna, the police conducted raids in various places and took action on 101 cases in the last two days. Of these, 54 cases were related to rooster fights, leading to the arrest of 151 people. The police also seized 133 roosters and 65000 in these operations in Visakhapatnam.

Apart from rooster fights, the police dealt with 47 cases of gambling, arresting 215 individuals on 14 and 15 January. The police confiscated 2.74 lakh from them. These cases were reported from different areas in Anakapalli, such as Rolugunta, Kothakota, Yelamanchali (rural), Narsipatnam (rural), V. Madugula, S Rayavaram, K. Kotapadu, and other places. In Visakhapatnam, most of the reported cases were related to gambling. From 13 to 15 January, the city police registered 20 cases, arresting 124 people involved in gambling. They recovered around 2.50 lakh from these individuals. The gambling cases were reported in Gajuwaka

Despite these issues, certain events in the Anakapalli district, like horse and bullock cart races, gained attention on social media and attracted people from nearby districts like Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram. On the day of ‘Kanuma’, the sale of chicken, mutton, and liquor saw a significant increase. Meat shops were busy throughout the day, with people purchasing two to three kilograms of meat for family meals.

The police conducted checks for drunk and driving, and around 300 cases were booked since 13 January in the city. Over 50 cases related to consuming alcohol in open places were also registered by the police. Despite the festive season, many junctions remained deserted due to the holidays impacting regular activities.