Sanjay Borkar for Daijiworld News Network - Goa

Margao, June 15: Margao which is known as the cultural and commercial city of Goa, is slowly turning into a gambling hub. To eradicate these activities running within the vicinity of police station, school and religious places, deputy collector of Salcete Suresh Pilarnekar has captured all these gambling scenes in his camera and as a proof a CD of the same has been sent to officers concerned urging them to take action.

By taking cognizance of this CD containing gambling activities, south Goa Superintendent of Police Shekhar Prabhu Desai has served 'show cause notices’ to DYSP and police inspector. They are yet to give the clarification on the same. Meanwhile, gambling activities are booming in the city.

Earlier Pilarnekar had raised the issue with local police, but they did not act.

As the gamblers have links with politicians and the police, they have started to threaten to journalists and the commoners, who tried to stop these activities. Recently, one driving school proprietor was assaulted by these gamblers, in the open market, who had fled with his golden chain. 

At the time of Holy Spirit church feast, where gambling was running on smoothly, this correspondent had sent SMS to chief minister Pratapsingh Rane, local MLA Damodar Naik, SP Prabhu Desai and local police inspector, saying that the gambling activities are running within the vicinity of the feast despite the presence of police. But no action was taken in this regard. When newspapers carried the story, one of the councillors Ramadad Hazare on behest of local people requested the gamblers to shut down their business. Finally it was stopped there, but soon gambling tables erected in the city.