Illegal activity: 160 arrested for betting on fighting pheasants

Villagers say such competitions are held regularly but go unreported.


Express December 12, 2011

MIAN CHANNU:


As many as 160 people were arrested for betting on pheasant fights in a Mian Channu village on Sunday night.


At least 50 birds, Rs500,000, four motorcycles and several cars were seized during the raid.

The organiser, Nasir Sial, is known to keep pheasants, peacocks and other birds at his dera where the competition was organised. Some villagers told The Express Tribune that pheasant fights were held regularly at Sial’s dera. They said they never felt the need to report such fights to the police. They said they had no money for betting but enjoyed watching the fights.

Some of the suspects in police custody were identified as Mumtaz Sial, Kashif Hussain, Amir Hussain, Cheena Lakho (from Sindh), Muhammad Iqbal, Muhammad Siddiq (from Gakhar Mandi) and Nazar Hussain from Hasilpur.

The SHO said an FIR had been registered against the suspects under the Prevention of Gambling Act.

Saddar station house officer Mehr Manzoor said the suspects had been shifted to the Central Jail in Multan while the birds remained in police custody.

He said the suspects would likely be released on bail in a couple of days but added that they would later have to appear before the court for the hearing. Manzoor said the raid was carried out in Chak 145 16L Tibba Sialaanwala on instructions from the Khanewal district police officer.

He said betting on pheasant and cock fights was common in villages in the area. He said police could control the activity only with support from the villagers.

“We carry out raids and arrest people whenever someone informs us about it,” he said.

Prevention of Gambling Act

Section 5

Penalty for gaming in a public place —

Whoever is found gambling in a public place, street or thoroughfare, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.

Section 7

Enhanced punishment for subsequent offences — Whoever, having been convicted of any offence under this Act, again commits any such offence shall be punishable for every such subsequent offence with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2011.

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