MP: Jabalpur SP’s Order on Gambling Stirs Row, Modified Later

Bhopal: A recent order by the police chief of a Madhya Pradesh district restraining the cops from taking action against the people indulging in gambling nearby any water body to ‘save their lives’ has stirred a row with the Congress terming it a ‘Diwali offer’ to the gamblers by the Mohan Yadav government.

The Jabalpur district superintendent of police (SP) Sampat Upadhyay reissued the order by making some modifications when the issue threatened to snowball into a major controversy.

The order issued on October 29 to the police officers concerned and in-charges of different police stations in the district said that no action should be taken against the gamblers by the cops without taking their seniors into confidence.

It also said that the cops must be sure that there are no water bodies such as rivers, ponds, canals and wells nearby when they raid the gambling dens and rather allow the gamblers to flee after making them aware of the presence of the police in such cases.

The order also said that similar stands should be taken by the cops if incidents of gambling are reported in the first, second or third floors of a building.

Madhya Pradesh Congress has taken exception to the order, calling it a ‘Diwali offer’ to the gamblers by the Mohan Yadav government.

“The Mohan Yadav government wants to make Madhya Pradesh a state of gamblers by restraining police from taking action against them”, the state party said in an X post.

The SP however withdrew the order and reissued it on October 30 after making some modifications.

The amended order asked the police officers concerned to remain vigilant (to avoid mishaps) when the police raid gambling dens located nearby water bodies.

Later, the police officer took to X to explain that the objective behind the order was to save lives of people when police take action against them in such particular circumstances.

“Human life is more important than police action”, he said.

He however said that there was some drafting error in the original order and it has been corrected in the fresh order.

Incidents of loss of lives were earlier reported at some places in the state and outside during raids at gambling dens near the water bodies.