Indian Police Arrests 500 Offenders for Gambling Occasion of Hindu Festival

Authorities in the Indian state of Odisha has detained more than 500 people for illegal gambling in the Ganjam and Jajpur districts. The arrests were a result of police raids in gaming dens organized on occasion of a popular Hindu festival, the Kumar Purnima.

Only in the Ganjam district, the detained gamblers are greater than 500. This week alone, the authorities in Ganjam has captured Rs6 lakh, which will be approximately US$8,190. Another 11 people were detained on the charge of gaming after a raid within an illegal gambling center in the Bharatpur area. The Jaipur authorities have also discovered three bicycles, six cell phones and Rs5,325 (approx. $73) in money.

Betting is extremely restricted in India, although laws vary between states and cities. Some forms of gambling are allowed or tolerated, whereas casino-style gambling can be conducted just in Goa, Daman, and Sikkim. In Odisha, however, gaming is illegal, though it’s regarded as a tradition through the celebrations for Kumar Purnima, according to Rakesh Kumar Tripathy, inspector-in-charge of Balichandrapur police station in Jajpur district.

Even though the money used for the gambling action was not a whole lot, the deed is still regarded as a serious offense below the law.

Betting as a Portion of the Religious Celebrations

The country of Odisha is located on the Bay of Bengal and is widely known for its rich religious history and tribal culture. It is home to a large number of ancient Hindu temples and contains the highest concentration of Hindus among several other states. There are plenty of festivals and festivals during the year and each is associated with different traditions and customs.

Millions of Odisha residents take part in gambling actions from Dussehra into Diwali. There are no fixed dates for its 2 festivals, however Dussehra (also known as Dasahara, Dasara, Dashain or Vijayadashami) is usually celebrated in late September or even October. Diwali, on the flip side, or the festival of light would be the largest and most significant holiday of the year and it’s usually in November. Together with good food, family gatherings, and other customs, people really like to gamble within this part of the year.

Kumar Purnima is yet another Hindu vacation and it’s called the harvest festival. Every year, the local authorities try to clamp on gaming with raids on illegal gambling dens and arrests of gamblers. While 500 individuals being detained may seem like a gigantic operation, it’s insignificant compared to the magnitude of underground gaming that occurs in reality. During the festive season, people gamble for entertainment and in the hopes to earn a little extra money.