Despite courts and cops, there was no stopping for cock fights in coastal Andhra. As the officialdom looked the other way, punters and cartels had transacted over Rs 500 crore in just two days.
Over 5000 cocks died in the fights in two Godavari districts alone. Their biggest worry was not police or media but fake currency.
Many of those who got into betting on cock fights tried to peddle fake currency notes using the massive rush at the counters. This has been going on for quite a few years and reached the peak last year.
A cock fight organiser said of the amount he got last year, there were fake notes worth Rs 38000. Hence the organisers got cleverer this year. They had set up UV lamps and other equipment to detect the fake notes.
Such fake note detecting machines were used in places like Bhimavaram and Vempa in West Godavari. Since there was much demand for the equipment, some organisers had tough time getting such machines. In places where there were no such fake note detectors, fake notes circulated freely.
