Gujarat gambling buddies turn bus into casino: Replace seats with mattresses for comfortable card playing | Rajkot News – Times of India

A picture of the accused inside the modified bus. Porbandar local crime branch arrested 11 people and seized `2 lakh in cash

RAJKOT: Janmashtami fervour has already gripped Saurashtra, where gambling is considered anything but a crime.
With police intensifying drives to catch gamblers, teen patti junkies are trying innovative ways to satiate their compulsions. To evade the watchful eyes of police, a group of 11 friends did something unthinkable, they bought a used bus, removed its seats and fitted in mattresses, pillows and sheets, so they could play cards in comfort.
At around 3.15am on Monday, Porbandar local crime branch (LCB) intercepted the bus on getting specific information two people – Bharat Rakasiya and Alpesh Vachhani – were facilitating gambling. The cops had no clue that the bus was actually a gambling den on wheels and it was only when they checked that they saw the modifications. Police arrested Rakasiya, who had bought the second-hand bus just four days ago for use as a mobile gambling venue.
Police also arrested 10 others and seized Rs 2 lakh in cash, and the bus, which was valued at Rs 9 lakh. The bus had left Dhoraji in Rajkot district at around 1.45am and was intercepted near Bhod village on the Rajkot-Porbandar highway.
Confident that police wouldn’t catch them, the group had planned a seven-day excursion across Saurashtra to gamble with ease in the confines of the bus.
“Inside the bus, we saw a group of people sitting in a circle. There were no seats for the passengers like in a normal bus,” said R K Kambariya, in-charge LCB police inspector.
According to police, the bus appeared to be a private luxury vehicle hired for a pilgrimage. “They had planned a seven-day trip, but police apprehended them within hours of starting their journey,” Kambariya added.
Vachhani was driving the bus. The others allegedly caught gambling are Jitendra Dedaniya, Rahul Vadaliya, Kirit Rachadiya, Govind Bhut, Manoj Makwana, Dayalal Bhimani, Anil Kalariya, Mukesh Gohel and Nilesh Kalariya. All of the accused are residents of Dhoraji town.