Surat: Police in Surat arrested 157 people, including four women and 153 men, for allegedly gambling during Janmashtami celebrations across multiple localities. The raids were carried out at 25 locations in Sarathana, Kapodra, Varachha, Puna, Ashwinikumar, Katargam, Singanpor, Chowk Bazaar and Pal areas, based on specific inputs received by the police about ongoing card games and betting. At least 25 FIRs have been registered since Friday and a few more are likely to be registered as the drive by police is continuing.According to officials, teams moved in simultaneously at identified spots and detained the suspects who were found playing cards and placing cash bets. Police said they seized cash amounting to Rs 3.96 lakh along with nine mobile phones and six motorcycles. The total value of the seized cash and property is estimated at Rs 6.87 lakh.In several Saurashtrian-dominated pockets of the city, playing cards during Janmashtami is widely seen as a long-followed social practice, and in some instances it extends to gambling. Women are also known to participate in these games, and previous years have seen similar police action during the festival period, resulting in multiple arrests.Police said gambling activities are often organised within small, close-knit groups in homes or other private spaces, making detection difficult. However, officers claimed that accurate intelligence helped them pinpoint the venues and conduct successful raids.
