PONDA: The Ponda Police conducted a raid on a shop suspected of running a ‘mini casino’ involving computer games and online gambling and arrested Praveen, 39, a resident of Ponda, but originally from Maharashtra.
During the two-hour raid, which took place between 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm on Wednesday, the police seized Rs 2.05 lakh in cash and various gaming accessories. The shop in question is located adjacent to Laxmi Restaurant in Sapana Park, along the Bethora-Ponda road.
The incident came to light after concerned parents reported that their children had lost money through this illegal gambling activity. The issue had also been raised in the recent Curti-Khandepar Gram Sabha, where residents expressed concerns about the presence of a mini casino and opposed granting permissions for such operations.
Further investigations have revealed that similar gambling activities may be taking place in other locations as well, prompting the Ponda Police to pursue the matter thoroughly.