By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Nov 10: A large number of gambling dens have sprung up almost everywhere in Guwahati around a week before the Kali Puja, and it is certain that most of such dens will continue to do business at least a week after the Kali Puja. When viewed from this reality, one can term the Kali Puja-Diwali festivity as the 'gambling fortnight'.
Some areas in the city that have been gripped by such gambling dens are Athgaon, Kacharibasti, Sorabvati, Paltan Bazar Railway Workshop Colony, Gandhibasti, Anuradha etc.
A section of people allege that such gambling dens are active every year. "They spring up almost a week before the Kali Puja and Diwali and persist at least a week after the Kali Puja," people allege, and add: "Even as the district and police administrations claim to have contained the evil mece, the mece thrives in this fortnight every year. The problem lies in the fact that though the police claim to have acted on the people running such dens, they do get commissions and look the other way. This practice pollutes the social atmosphere because of shouting, quarrelling etc."