- विज्ञापन -
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Police have confiscated Rs 2.25 crore in cash and 1,900 lottery tickets from the home of Nagaraj (42), a cashier at a lottery agency in Walayar, Palakkad district. This operation was executed under the direction of Coimbatore District Superintendent of Police, K. Karthikeyan, as part of an investigation into the illegal sale of banned lottery tickets in Tamil Nadu.
The Karumathampatti Police conducted the raid, which was one of over 30 carried out in suburban areas of Coimbatore, including Pollachi, Valparai, Annur, and Karumathampatti. Eight specialized teams were assembled for these operations.
During the search at Nagaraj’s residence, police also found Rs 2 lakh in banned Rs 2,000 currency notes. Authorities indicated that Nagaraj was illegally selling Kerala government lottery tickets in the Tiruppur and Pollachi regions. Despite a statewide prohibition on selling these tickets outside Kerala, agents have been actively engaged in this trade across Tamil Nadu.
These illegal operations often involve betting on the last digits of lottery numbers. The police have observed a significant rise in the sale of illegal lottery tickets in both urban and rural Coimbatore, with suburban areas becoming particularly notorious for such activities. Reports indicate that these operators conduct lotteries several times daily, using results from Kerala and Nagaland lotteries.
Lotteries based on the last one, three, or four digits of official Kerala lottery tickets are typically drawn at noon and 2 p.m., while Nagaland lotteries are held at 12 p.m., 3 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 p.m. Participants often share betting numbers through WhatsApp groups, allowing them to select and pay for their numbers. After the official lottery results are announced, these illegal operations declare their own results and payouts based on the winning numbers.
In November, a crackdown by Coimbatore City Police and Coimbatore Rural Police resulted in the seizure of Rs 45.8 lakh, the arrest of 27 individuals, and the registration of six cases against illegal lottery operators. The police have identified several prominent figures linked to the illegal lottery trade and have pledged to intensify their efforts against this activity in the state.
