10 arrested from gambling den; cash, vehicles worth 6 lakh seized

KOLHAPUR: The crime branch of the city police on Saturday raided a gambling den in the Town Hall area and caught 10 people red-handed allegedly involved in the illegal activity. Police also seized cash, a car, two motorcycles and papers used for gambling worth totally Rs 6 lakh, besides cellphones and other material.
D N Mohite, inspector in-charge of the local crime branch, said, "We received information from our sources that the illegal activity is going on at an open shade near Aai Maharaj statue in the Town hall area.We sent a team of policemen that raided the place and found ten people involved in gambling. We arrested all of them. Some of them belong to the city, while the others were from the neighbouring Vadanage village in Karveer taluka.
"We have seized Rs 52,000 in cash, two cars and three motorcycle from them, all totally worth Rs 6 lakh," he said.
This is the second raid conducted by the local crime branch in the last ten days.
On July 3, the officials raided an illegal matka den at Jaysingpur and arrested six people, including a corporator of the Sangli Miraj Kupwad Municipal Corporation. Police had also seized material worth over Rs 2.4 lakh from the suspects during the raid.
Mohite said the police will continue the drive against matka dens and illegal gambling centres and nab the culprits.
"We have initiated action against the culprits involved in illegal activities such as running matka dens and gambling centres. We conduct surprise raids after getting information from our sources and confirming it. Police have launched the drive throughout district and will shut down all the illegal matka dens and gambling centres," he added.