Jiribam goes to the drain under the gambling craze

IMPHAL, MARCH 20: Teer, a form of gambling which originated in Meghalaya has become a new found craze of the people of Jiribam sub-division.

People here have been literally hooked to the gambling game that many denizens have forgotten their chores and other important activities of life.

If one observes, groups of people will be seen talking to each other at tea stalls in the morning talking about their dreams of the previous night.

They believe that their dreams give them some secret message or hint about the number of tickets which may win prizes next day.

Results of this gambling are given twice in a day much to the delight and anguish of the gamblers.

The numerical game which starts with digits 00 to 99 is played twice in a day as first round and second round.

A winning ticket that costs Re one can fetch a prize of Rs 80 in the first round draw.

The second round draw can fetch Rs 70 from the ticket of same price.

There is another jackpot round called "Forecast" in which a lucky person can win Rs 2000 by a ticket of Re one when numbers of both rounds match with the winning ticket.

However, the new found craze has become a sort of scourge with attention of the people focused on this gambling.

Even Govt employees including teachers have fallen prey to this game of lottery.

One would observe groups of Government employees engage in animated talks about the game while paying little or no attention to their responsibilities and duties.

One can also find enthusiasts of this game thronging some shops/kiosks where books that interpret books are sold.

One individual, obviously addicted to this game, said on condition of anonymity, that if he saw a dead person in his dream, he would go for ticket having number 00 (double zero).

If he saw a male he would go for No 6 and No 5 in case he saw a female.

Nowadays, there is nothing called bad omens or bad dreams as everything one saw in the dream can be interpreted into winning numbers in this game of gambling, he said.

n Angam Kuki, an agent of the gambling game, said that he could earn at least Rs 1000 per day.

Sometimes, the daily earning from selling tickets went up to Rs 5000. Another agent identified as S Roy said that Rs 4000 to 5000 could be earned on a good day.

But Sunday is most dull and disliked by every body as there is no draw of Teer at Shillong on Sunday.

But on the other side, one T Hmar hooked to the game, disclosed that she has sold off some of her belongings to keep in touch with the gambling.

"Even though I have lost, I cannot resist the temptation of this gambling game', Hmar confided.

Taking serious note of the social menace caused by this gambling game, a social activist said that it is high time for the law enforcing agency to curb the current trend of gambling.

Source: The Sangai Express