True to the tradition, gambling reached a high in Silk City on Kumar Purnami on Monday. Lakhs of rupees were staked. Though gambling reaches peak on Kumar Purnami, the betting game starts a fortnight prior to Durga Puja.
While gambling is the favourite pastime of a few, others indulge in it to earn a fast buck. In the process the bad losers take to loot and snatching to compensate the loss. In the last fortnight there is a spate of such incidents in the city. Police deployed hundreds of home guards to prevent the crime, but in vain. And there are new gamblers every year to join the revellers.
Tension over Raids
Tension ran high in Ankuli on Monday following a clash between police and the locals after the former reportedly broke open a library in a bid to nab gamblers. The police team opened the library suspecting that it was closed down by locals to indulge in gambling. Earlier on Sunday night, police had nabbed four gamblers from the same area.
Enraged, locals pelted stones at the police and also detained a home guard. The home guard was released only after senior officials rushed to the spot and persuaded the locals.
In another incident at Gobindapur, five cops, including a constable, were injured when a group of people pelted stones at them during a raid.
The seriously injured constable, Biraj Pradhan, was admitted to MKCG Medical and later shifted to Vizag after his condition deteriorated. Police said since Sunday morning, 100 gamblers have been arrested from various parts of the city.
Siblings Drown
Two brothers met watery grave at Debabhumi under Aska police limits on Monday. They have been identified as Sankar Patra (5) and Siba Patra (4). They drowned while taking a dip in the village pond.
Although villagers rushed them to the local hospital, they were declared brought dead.