Berhampur: Police arrested three youths allegedly indulging in cricket betting on the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) here on Thursday night.

BTech student Deepak Samantray, 20, of Shastri Nager, Jitendra Nahak, 31, of Kanisi Hata and Prasant Behera, 30, of Dasapur were nabbed from Aska Road by a police team led by Bada Bazar police station inspector in charge Suresh Tripathy.

Two others - J. Ramesh and Anda Dipu -managed to escape.

The arrests were made during the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad, police said.

Berhampur additional police superintendent Trinath Patel said: "We have also seized Rs 7.61 lakh in cash, four mobile phones, one calculator and three note books from their possession."

The three were forwarded to court on Friday.

"The police have identified the kingpin of this racket and we are trying to book him. As it was online betting, the link has established its root to be out of the state. We have sought the help of the Cyber Police Station to further investigate the case," Patel said.

Berhampur police have prepared a road map to eradicate cricket betting here.

"We have alerted all the police stations and officers. IPL betting is itself is a serious crime and we have vowed to take swift and stringent action against it," he said.

In 2016, 33 persons were arrested in three cases and Rs 2,34,900 in cash was seized from them during cricket betting in Berhampur.

"In 2017, 16 persons were arrested in two cases and Rs 15,34,750 in cash was seized from them," the ASP said.