Feature
Heightened security marks Republic Day arrangements in Kashmir
Jammu/Srinagar: A state of high alert and heightened security marked Republic Day arrangements in Jammu and Kashmir Saturday as additional deployment was made in areas close to the borders to prevent infiltration of guerrillas.
Top security sources told that more than 1,600 additional paramilitary forces were deployed close to the international border in the Jammu region to prevent infiltration from across ahead of Republic Day.
Mobile vehicle check posts (MVCPs) and additional static check posts were pressed into service in Srinagar and Jammu to check the entry and exit of people and also man security inside the two cities.
All vehicles entering Jammu and Srinagar city are stopped at the outskirts, occupants and vehicles are thoroughly checked before being permitted to enter.
“There is nothing new about our preparedness on the eve of Republic Day. It is routine and we are following the same drill this year as well,” said Inspector General of Police of the Kashmir zone Abdul Ghani Mir.
Reports from the other district headquarters of the state said security had been tightened there as well as flag hoisting and ceremonial parades are held at each district headquarter on Republic Day.
The main Republic Day function in the state would be held at the M.A. Stadium in Jammu, where the state Governor N.N. Vohra would be present.
In Srinagar, the function would be held at the Bakshi Stadium.
Despite the fact that a lot of media hype has been provided to security arrangements in the country on the eve of this year’s Republic Day because it coincides with US President Barack Obama’s visit, life in the state is relatively relaxed as compared to previous years.
“There is nothing new about extraordinary security around Jan 26 and Aug 15 in Kashmir. We are used to it and life goes on as usual,” said Nazir Ahmad, 54, who lives in Chanapora locality of Srinagar.
State director general of police K. Rajendra Kumar, however, told reporters that three-tier security arrangements were in place for Republic Day functions.
“We are working in close coordination with the intelligence agencies and the army,” Kumar told IANS.
In rural areas of the Kashmir valley and the Jammu region, the Rashtriya Rifles have started patrolling the roads with sniffer dogs by their sides.
A senior official of an intelligence agency confirmed to IANS that except for a general alert there was no specific input about guerrillas planning a target oriented attack anywhere in the state.
“Yes, we have a general input about militants planning to show their presence to attract international attention, but there is nothing specific about any target oriented attack being planned by them,” the officer said.
The State Scores Extra High on Gaming-Friendly Industry Index
Meghalaya scored 92.85 out of 100 possible points in a Gaming Industry Index and proved to be India’s most gaming-friendly state following its recent profound legislation changes over the field allowing land-based and online gaming, including games of chance, under a licensing regime.
The index by the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) uses a scale of 0 to 100 to measure the level of legalisation on gambling and betting achieved by a state based on the scores over a set of seven different games – lottery, horse racing, betting on sports, poker, rummy, casino and fantasy sports
Starting from February last year, Meghalaya became the third state in India’s northeast to legalise gambling and betting after Sikkim and Nagaland. After consultations with the UKIBC, the state proceeded with the adoption of the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 and the nullification of the Meghalaya Prevention of Gambling Act, 1970. Subsequently in December, the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Rules, 2021 were notified and came into force.
All for the Tourists
The move to legalise and license various forms of offline and online betting and gambling in Meghalaya is aimed at boosting tourism and creating jobs, and altogether raising taxation revenues for the northeastern state. At the same time, the opportunities to bet and gamble legally will be reserved only for tourists and visitors.
“We came out with a Gaming Act and subsequently framed the Regulation of Gaming Rules, 2021. The government will accordingly issue licenses to operate games of skill and chance, both online and offline,” said James P. K. Sangma, Meghalaya State Law and Taxation Minister speaking in the capital city of Shillong. “But the legalized gambling and gaming will only be for tourists and not residents of Meghalaya,” he continued.
To be allowed to play, tourists and people visiting the state for work or business purposes will have to prove their non-resident status by presenting appropriate documents, in a process similar to a bank KYC (Know Your Customer) procedure.
Meghalaya Reaches Out to a Vast Market
With 140 millions of people in India estimated to bet regularly on sports, and a total of 370 million desi bettors around prominent sporting events, as per data from one of the latest reports by Esse N Videri, Meghalaya is set to reach out and take a piece of a vast market.
Estimates on the financial value of India’s sports betting market, combined across all types of offline channels and online sports and cricket predictions and betting platforms, speak about amounts between $130 and $150 billion (roughly between ₹9.7 and ₹11.5 lakh crore).
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Delhi are shown to deliver the highest number of bettors and Meghalaya can count on substantial tourists flow from their betting circles. The sports betting communities of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are also not to be underestimated.
Among the sports, cricket is most popular, registering 68 percent of the total bet count analyzed by Esse N Videri. Football takes second position with 11 percent of the bets, followed by betting on FIFA at 7 percent and on eCricket at 5 percent. The last position in the Top 5 of popular sports for betting in India is taken by tennis with 3 percent of the bet count.
Local Citizens will Still have Their Teer Betting
Meghalaya residents will still be permitted to participate in teer betting over arrow-shooting results. Teer is a traditional method of gambling, somewhat similar to a lottery draw, and held under the rules of the Meghalaya Regulation of the Game of Arrow Shooting and the Sale of Teer Tickets Act, 2018.
Teer includes bettors wagering on the number of arrows that reach the target which is placed about 50 meters away from a team of 20 archers positioned in a semicircle.
The archers shoot volleys of arrows at the target for ten minutes, and players place their bets choosing a number between 0 and 99 trying to guess the last two digits of the number of arrows that successfully pierce the target.
If, for example, the number of hits is 256, anyone who has bet on 56 wins an amount eight times bigger than their wager.
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