Police helpless as gamblers thumb nose at lenient law

SHIMLA: Despite deployment of police squads to curb the gambling activities during the Lavi fair being held in Himachal’s Rampur Bushahr, the menace goes on with the ‘support’ of locals and an ineffectual law.

The HP governor had sought report from the district administration regarding steps taken to curb gambling which had led to police constituting teams to raid houses and hotels. But the lenient law allows the gamblers to get away with the offence easily as the offender can be only fined up to ₹1,000 and jailed for maximum one year under the Public Gambling Act 1976.

“Not only private houses but hotels are also involved in such illegal activities. Private house owners vacate their properties during winters to accommodate gamblers,” the sources said.

Four cases under the Public Gambling Act have been registered in the past two days. “Police are not allowed to search each and every house and support from locals is also minimal,” a police officer, requesting anonymity, said.

A local resident said, “Gambling activities during Lavi fair have turned into a menace here.”

“Our entire exercise bears no fruit as the gamblers get bail quite easily,” a cop added.

Kullu SP Shalini Agnihotri said around 25 people have been lately booked for gambling.