Digapahandi: Acting on a tip-off, police busted a major gambling den operating in a forest near Janghama village under Digapahandi police limits of Ganjam district and arrested 26 persons, officials said Sunday.
The raid was carried out Saturday evening by a special squad led by Assistant Sub-Inspector Manoj Singh on the direction of Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M, police said. When the team reached the spot, several gamblers allegedly attacked the police personnel and attempted to assault some constables with intent to kill.
On being informed, Chikiti SDPO Biswamitra Harpal and Digapahandi IIC-cum-DSP Prasant Kumar Patra rushed to the site with additional force and brought the situation under control. Cash worth `9.24 lakh, 32 mobile phones, 12 motorcycles, a car and 18 packets of playing cards were seized from the spot. Some gamblers managed to flee into the forest under the cover of darkness. Injured police personnel were given first aid at the Digapahandi Community Health Centre.
Based on a complaint filed by ASI Manoj Singh, a case (12/26) was registered at Digapahandi police station. Investigating officer SI Raj Kishore Patra arrested the accused hailing from various villages like Digapahandi, K. Nuagaon, Badagada, Bhanjanagar, Jagannath Prasad, Golanthara, Sheragada and Jarada police limits in the district, as well as from Puri district.
They were produced before a court Sunday afternoon. After their bail pleas were rejected, all 26 accused were remanded to Digapahandi Sub-Jail. Preliminary investigation revealed that the gambling den had been operating for a long time and was allegedly run by professional criminals from villages under Digapahandi and K Nuagaon police jurisdictions, police said.