Five held gambling in Bhadravati farm, two flee in the dark; Rs 2.65 lakh seized

Bhadravati police raided a card gambling den in the farmland of Belwara village. Five accused were caught red-handed, while two others escaped under cover of darkness. Police are searching for the two.

The action took place on the night of October 3. Police carried out the raid under the guidance of Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sachin Khetre. According to police, the game was being played under an acacia tree by the light of a mobile phone torch.

A team from Bhadravati police station was on patrol in the area when an informer tipped them off that some men were playing a 52-card game for money under an acacia tree in the fields of Belwara village. Once the information was confirmed, the team took along two independent witnesses and raided the Belwara farm area.

Police surrounded the acacia tree from all sides and found five men gambling there, caught red-handed. The other two gamblers fled into the darkness on seeing the police.

Those detained at the spot are Ganesh Dinesh Bhoyar (31, resident of Majri), Nikhil Chandrakant Bonde (35, resident of Kuchna Colony), Uday Rajendra Vaidya (21, resident of Belwara), Pranit Yashwant Matte (31, resident of Belwara) and Atul Gajanan Kulmethe (38, resident of Majri).

The names of the two who fled emerged during questioning. They have been identified as Manish Salpute (resident of Kuchna) and Swapnil Pimpalkar (resident of Kiloni). Police are searching for both.

From the spot and from searching the accused, police seized Rs 4,650 in cash, including the money staked in the game, 52 playing cards and four two-wheelers in the gamblers' possession. These are one Jupiter scooter, one Pulsar and two Shine motorcycles. The vehicles are valued at Rs 2.6 lakh in all. According to police, the total property seized is worth Rs 2,65,540.

A case has been registered at Bhadravati police station against the accused under Section 12(A) of the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act, on the complaint of police constable Prashant Pundlik Shendare. Police constable P. S. Sidam is investigating the case further.