Cockfight betting busted in Brahmapuri, five held, cash and gadgets worth Rs 1.69 lakh seized
Police raided a cockfight betting den in the forests of Brahmapuri taluka, arresting five and seizing goods worth over Rs 1.69 lakh.
Betting on cockfights was underway in the forest area of Bardakinhi in Brahmapuri taluka when a tip-off reached the police. Acting on the information, Brahmapuri police raided the spot and caught five people red-handed. Goods worth Rs 1,69,950 were seized from them. A case has been registered against the accused under the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act.
According to information received, police constable Amol Lonbale of Brahmapuri police station, along with police havaldar Ratan Lengure and police constable Abhishek Agashe, was patrolling in the Mendki police jurisdiction. During the patrol, the informant told police that near the road from Bardakinhi to Chichgaon, in the forest area, some people had tied iron spurs to the legs of injured roosters and were gambling on the birds fighting each other. On hearing this, police immediately reached the spot along with two panch witnesses.
On seeing the police team, those gambling scattered. Police chased and caught all five who tried to flee. The arrested accused are Kunal Rushiji Meshram, 37, resident of Ganglawadi; Adnyan Vithoba Mahadore, 32, resident of Bardakinhi; Sunil Vasudev Meshram, 32, resident of Ganglawadi; Gajanan Vithoba Mahadore, 35, resident of Bardakinhi; and Sudhir Damodhar Shende, 37, resident of Bardakinhi.
A search conducted before the panch witnesses recovered from the accused three mobile phones worth Rs 32,000, cash of Rs 2,630, two iron spurs worth Rs 30, a Hero Splendor Plus motorcycle (MH 34 CS 6894) worth Rs 80,000 and a Honda Dio moped (MH 34 BW 8944) worth Rs 55,000. Two injured fighting roosters were also seized. Since the roosters were injured, they were auctioned before the panch witnesses at the police station, fetching Rs 300, which has been accounted for separately.
Based on a complaint by police constable Amol Ambadas Lonbale (buckle number 101), a case has been registered at Brahmapuri police station against all five accused under Section 12(b) of the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887. Under the guidance of station in-charge and police inspector Pramod Banbale, police havaldar Ratan Lengure (buckle number 169) is investigating the matter further.
