Mohali: Bizman dies of heart attack during police raid

High drama prevailed in the Mullanpur Garibdas market after a 50-year-old businessman died of a heart attack during a gambling unit bust this afternoon.

Rakesh Kumar Soni, a heart patient, was taken to a hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Irate locals roughed up cops and held up them for hours before senior officials and heavy police force reached the spot and began negotiations. Local residents and businessmen said the persons who were nabbed on the suspicion of gambling were playing a card game in an open area near the market.

Around 3 pm, the cops in plainclothes reached the market. They nabbed a group of businessmen, including garment shop owners, jewellers, property dealers and landlords, among others for “gambling”. The police rounded up the suspects with money in their pockets before a melee ensued and a some cops were held up. Two persons were nabbed, while three others fled the spot, sources said.

Sources said a few cops were roughed up in the melee, but senior police officials remained tightlipped over the incident. The locals said one more person developed medical complications and was rushed to the hospital for medical treatment.

Sources said police had got a tip-off that a gambling unit was active in the area for the past many days with considerable sum of money changing hands daily. Among the persons nabbed was a retired cop, who tried to squeeze out of the situation but was reprimanded.