Police raided Room No. 105 of the Uphar Palace Hotel in Sambalpur and busted a gambling racket, arresting nine individuals and seizing nearly Rs 10 lakh in cash.
During the raid, officers discovered bundles of currency hidden inside the toilet flush and scattered across the bed. The operation was carried out by the Dhanupali police team around 4 PM, following a tip-off received by Sambalpur SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamu.
The raid was led by Dhanupali IIC Aditya Mahakud and SDPO Tofan Bag. As police stormed the room, gamblers attempted to resist and engaged in scuffles. Some tried to dispose of cash by flushing it down the toilet, but police recovered large amounts from the flush tank.
Police confirmed that nine accused have been detained. While they stated that the hotel owner’s direct involvement was not established, suspicions remain about how such large-scale gambling could occur without his knowledge. The hotel owner claimed ignorance of the incident.
