Cops crack down on gambling to prevent financial misery to families

Mangaluru: Mangaluru city police is tightening the screws on organised gambling in its jurisdiction. This concerted action has been initiated at a time, in what city police chief Vikash Kumar Vikash said, was during the unprecedented economic squeeze brought about by the pandemic. With money being a scarce resource for most families now, such indulgence will lead to more societal problems such as suicides and other crimes, according to the top cop.
Rationalising the recent string of crackdowns on gambling, Vikash told TOI that police has not lost sight of their basic duties even while being the frontline warriors in the fight against Covid-19. “Many households are going through distressing times on the financial front due to the current economic scenario. Even in the best of times, gambling is not the legal means to get wealthy and improve one’s social standing,” he said.
Seeking public cooperation in the drive against gambling, the city police chief said people can either inform him, DCPs Arunangshu Giri and Vinay Gaonkar or diall the city police control room if they have any information on such gambling activities. “Having extra eyes and ears on the ground will help police tackle this crime more effectively and save families from ruin,” he added.
This apart, people addicted to gambling will also be more alert when they are aware that people could tip-off the police on their illegal activities, he said. Gamblers usually pledge their hard-earned or family savings, valuables in desperate bid to ensure liquidity, and losing the same could force them to end lives, he said. Pointing that no such direct correlation has been established between the two, Vikash said this possibility cannot be entirely ruled out.
Gambling debts could also force people to commit heinous offences, he said, adding the appeal to Twitterrati from his official handle (@compolmlr) and for people through a press communique to sensitise them on the socio-economic-legal perils of gambling. “Policemen are doing their best to keep crimes under control in trying circumstances,” he added.