Betting in Gorakhpur during IPL

Many people especially of male teenage group ran away from their houses leaving their parents worried these days. At least five families in Jafra Bazaar- Andhiyari Bagh area in Gorakhpur are worried as their sons have left home and hiding somewhere else after losing in IPL betting during the matches. However none of them have informed police about it as their sons have stopped them from doing it. Last year and last to last year police nabbed people involved in betting from the district but this year no raid has been made at sensitive areas so far.

Last year police arrested 7 people in Kotwali area and seized cash, mobile, laptop and plazma TV etc and in year 2014 Gorakhnath police arrested four people and seized cash, mobile phone, motorcycles and diaries and in the same year, police also nabbed many people involved in betting during IPL matches from Baldev plaza but this year police hasn’t made any raid or arrested anyone so far.

On asking SSP, Anant Dev, he said, “We have not received any complaint in this regard so far as soon as we get any information or complaint regarding this, we’ll certainly take action.”

Police is not getting complaint regarding betting during IPL but it doesn’t prove that the district has become clean of the illegal trade. A huge business is running under the nose of police department but no one could dare to inform police about it as now the traders have learnt to protect the trade too.

Antu

Antu a washer man by profession is a resident of Andhiyaribagh, laments, “Five days before my son, Shekhar, ran away from house and my daughter told us that he had lost Rs 50000 in IPL betting. I was thinking of going to police but he called me on my mobile phone from a PCO and stopped me from going to police.  He told me that he could lose his life in case of police help. Many money lenders are coming daily and asking me money as my son borrowed from them. I’m trying to pay them back and get my son back but Rs 50,000 is a big amount and paying it is not an easy task for me.” “Shekhar got 60% marks in High school UP board this year.”

Another, worried father is Rajkumar Yadav, “ I don’t know how my 16 year old son got stuck in the ugly business of betting. He has lost Rs 2.5 lakh this season and I paid the lenders back. He ran away from the house and told me about it on phone. I had no courage to go to the police as the lenders threatened me of killing my son.”

A 14 year old boy, Faizan (name changed) is master of the game, he says, “In Gorakhpur at least betting of Rs 60 lakh occurs daily during IPL match. In league matches the rate of betting is low around 12-13% and 15-16% but in Semi finals and finals the rates rises from two folds to 10 folds. Usually the bookies confirm rates on the basis of internet rates. From ball to wicket and from runs to sixes and fours and from particular player to particular team, betting could be done on anything and rates remain the same. When match becomes crucial, rates become very high. It all depends on situation , team and players. Dynamic betting and passive betting both are done during the matches. “

Another man involved in the trade, Ayush (name changed) says, “ In Gorakhpur, no area is left from the trade. The managers of betting game select places like mobile shops, Pan Shops, tea shops and even cold drink and snack shops as booking centres. One of the jeweller’s shop is also a very bog centre. The centres work on commission and big centres make at least Rs 8 to 10 thousand daily. Many people get employment during cricket matches as lenders get easy customers, booking centres get easy money, advisors work on commission and every area has a brigade of youth the bring customers to the centres for betting and they also work on commission. I know an advisor, he is very sharp and in the last season he earned so much money that he made the wedding of her sister possible.”

The people involved in betting business use code words and they honestly give money to the winners. “Dishonesty jaundices any business and it applies on betting business too. Yes we use codes and I love the business.” says a 30 year old man popularly known as Guru, works as adviser during cricket match betting.”

On the laws in India concerning to betting and gambling, a class 12^th student, Shaista Khan says, “Horse race is legal as per 1867 gambling law and cricket betting is illegal, I don’t understand the logic behind the law in India, 145 years old law requires revision. If there will be law for cricket betting, everything will be done under rules and regulations and many could be saved from exploitation.”