Malkangiri: Several police personnel including the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) sustained injuries following an attack by a group of gamblers during a raid at the gambling den at Marangpali village under Kalimela police limits in the district on Monday night.
Informed, more police personnel from Malkangiri were rushed to the spot to rescue and relieve the injured cops from the irate gamblers. Malkangiri police later arrested as many as 12 people on charges of attacking the team of police.
According to sources, a team of police raided a gambling hideout at Marangpali while acting on a tip-off. A group of miscreants at the site allegedly attacked the police team leaving many of them including the SDPO injured in the attack.
It is pertinent to mention here that during Makar Sankranti, betting dens mushroom in the nook and corner of Malkangiri district, as gambling is considered a part of the celebrations.
Earlier last month, a dozen of gamblers were arrested in one of the biggest anti-gambling drives by the Odisha Police before the New Year celebrations in Rourkela. The police had also seized over Rs 12.27 lakh in cash, two cars, five bikes, mobile phones and seven packets of playing cards during the raid.
(Edited by Suryakant Jena)