Kathmandu, October 14

Police in multiple raids last night arrested at least 38 persons from various places of Kathmandu for playing kauda (a traditional form of gambling with 16 sea shells) and playing cards.

As many as 21 persons were arrested from a private house at Aarubari 9 of Gokarneshwor Municipality yesterday morning.

Police confiscated Rs 1.892 million from the site along with nine sets of playing cards.

Raj Kumar Gurung, 42, of Pokhara was found to be operating illegal gambling in the house of Ramesh Tamang.

Police arrested all of them, who, according to police, had gambled throughout the night.

Similarly, police arrested 11 persons last night from the house of Uttam Kuikel at Banasthali-4 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

Acting on a tip-off, police had raided the house. Police also confiscated Rs 415,000 in cash, including 18 sets of kauda from the site.

In yet another incident, police arrested six persons from the house of Krishan Bahadur Chhetri for operating a gambling den.

Police confiscated Rs 16,000 in cash.

There is a practice of playing kauda as a form of merrymaking on the last day of Dashain called Kojagrat Purnima, which ended yesterday.