Locals vandalise gambling spots

Gambling goes on at a spot at Namuri village in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat district. Locals on Friday vandalised a few gambling pandals in Hatibandha upazila. Photo: Star

Local people vandalised four gambling pandals at Ketkibari village in Nawdabash union under Hatibandha upazila on Friday night as police remained inactive over the issue for long.
They also seized a microbus, an easy-bike and a motorcycle from the spot. However, the gamblers managed to flee the scene.
Locals said, gambling was going on at least on 100 spots in five upazilas everyday and obscene dances were being performed at six venues in Aditmari and Kaliganj upazilas openly for the last few weeks, with the backing of a few unscrupulous police officials.  
The spots include Mahishkhocha Bazar, Bhadai, Kutirpar, Namuri in Aditmari upazila, Kakina, Bhotmari and Namuri in Kaliganj upazila, Ketkibari, Paruliya in Hatibandha upazila and Barabari in Sadar upazila.
Mizanur Rahman, a resident at Mahishkhocha Bazar in Aditmari upazila, said stealing and mugging went up alarmingly as gambling takes place at the bazar every night.
As police gets the share of gambling money, the gang was committing the crime freely, he alleged.
Despite repeated pleas, police did not take any punitive action against the gamblers, said Ruhul Amin, a local trader of Namuri village in the upazila.
Contacted, officer in-charge of Kaliganj police station Sohrab Hossain said, it was the matter of Aditmari police to look into gambling and obscene dance there.
However, he refuted the allegation of taking bribe from the gamblers.
On the other hand, OC Kafil Uddin of Aditmari police station said that the crimes committed in Kaliganj were not under his jurisdiction.
ASP Adibul Islam said, he asked the police to conduct drives against gambling and obscene dances at different villages.