Rourkela: In a major success in the fight against organised crime, Rourkela Police have busted an inter-state gambling den operating right on the Odisha-Jharkhand border and recovered Rs 28.39 lakh in cash along with gold and silver ornaments, luxury vehicles and other materials.
Acting on specific intelligence about regular gambling sessions in Luakera village under Sector-15 Police Station, a police team conducted a late-night raid and caught the entire operation red-handed.
Two local residents — Bahana Kansari (48) and Dilip Kansari (59) — were arrested on the spot. Both men hail from the same village and, according to preliminary investigation, already have prior gambling cases registered against them at Bandamunda and Bisra police stations.
The haul included Rs 28,39,400 in cash, 405 grams of gold ornaments, 600 grams of silver ornaments, three four-wheelers, four motorcycles, mobile phones, polythene bags used for packing cash, and a sophisticated cash-counting machine. Police suspect the syndicate was running a well-oiled cross-border gambling network that attracted players from both Odisha and Jharkhand.
Police described the operation as part of the state police’s relentless campaign against illegal activities. “This is not just a local gambling joint — it was an inter-state racket. Our teams acted swiftly and the investigation is now focused on identifying the bigger players and their network,” a police statement said.
The arrests and seizures have sent a strong message across the region. With the state police vowing to maintain zero tolerance, officials said further raids and legal action against all those linked to the syndicate are underway.
