HYDERABAD: A gambling racket exclusively run by women was busted at a flat in Madhura Nagar and 13 women booked under the Telangana Gaming Act.

Poker games played by housewives and businesswomen in the age-group of 50-75 mopped up at least 1.12lakh in cash on a single night and the money was seized during the Task Force raid late Thursday. The raid and seizure at the upscale apartment, however, came to light on Saturday.

Acting on a tip-off from residents of Sai Ganesh Residency Apartment in Madhura Nagar, at 9.30pm on Thursday, police raided the flat to find 13 elderly women playing ‘teen patti’.
What triggered alarm among residents was a sudden gathering of women at the flat and the suspicious behaviour of the occupants.
“When our team raided the flat, only one lady constable accompanied us as we did not expect too many women inside. When we barged into the flat, we found 13 women gamblers. We had to call in women constables and home guards,” said a Task Force official.
Till reinforcements arrived, the lady constable stayed put inside the flat, while her male colleagues stood guard outside.
“During questioning, the 52-year-old key accused confessed to organising gambling activity for two months. There were two tables with seven women playing on one and five on the other. There were five businesswomen among gamblers and rest were housewives,” Task force inspector Khaleel Pasha said.