The cash seized from the gambling unit in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati
Bhubaneswar, Oct. 9: Police busted a gambling unit operating out of Malisahi under Kharavela Nagar police station limits last night.
The cops arrested six persons for their role in running the racket and also recovered Rs 13,750 in cash from the accused. The gang was busted after the cops decided to intensify its drive against gambling dens.
The arrested accused have been identified as K. Madhab, Benudhar Sethi, Narasingh Reddy, Jagaya Reddy, B. Prasad and P. Balaram - all local residents.
'The gambling unit had been operating in the area for the past few months and the accused mainly targeted passengers from Bhubaneswar railway station,' said a police officer.
The police said gambling units make use of the revelry during festivals to attract people.
'As most people working outside the state return during the festive season beginning from Durga Puja, the gamblers target passengers at Bhubaneswar railway station and Baramunda bus terminal. We have deployed our men in plainclothes to bust these gambling units,' said another police officer.
The police said most gambling rackets involved two to three people. While one of the gang members keep on winning money, the other one entices gullible people to invest more.
This is the fourth gambling unit to be busted in the state capital within a week. On the night of October 2, the police had busted a gambling unit at Ganganagar and arrested 11 people for duping people over the Internet. The cops had also seized Rs 30,000 in cash and two laptops from the unit, which was operating for the past 18 months. Similarly, Kharavela Nagar and Capital police had also busted two gambling rackets last week.
Deputy commissioner of police, Bhubaneswar, Satyabrata Bhoi said police stations concerned had been asked to keep a watch on the gambling units in their respective areas.
'We also urge the victims to lodge complaints with the police as most of the times passengers who lose money to gambling units near the railway station and the bus terminal hesitate to report the matter to the police,' said Bhoi.
