Puttur: Police raid two shops selling illegal Kerala lottery tickets, book owners

Mangalore Today News Network

Puttur, October 16, 2026: Puttur Town Police have cracked down on the illegal sale of Kerala lottery tickets in Karnataka, raiding two shops in separate operations and registering cases against two shop owners.

The raids were conducted on the evening of October 14, following credible information that lottery tickets brought illegally from neighbouring Kerala were being sold at higher prices in Puttur, despite the ban on lotteries in Karnataka.

In the first operation, ASI Vasu Naik and police personnel raided a shop on the main road in Puttur Kasaba village following information about the sale of prohibited Kerala lottery tickets.

During questioning, the shop owner, Srinivasa Pai (33), a resident of Puttur Kasaba, reportedly admitted to bringing lottery tickets from Kerala and selling them illegally to the public at higher prices. The lottery tickets found in his possession were seized, and a case was registered against him under the Karnataka Lotteries (Prohibition) Act, 1998.

In a separate operation, ASI Gangadhara A.B. and police personnel inspected a pan shop near Linet Junction in Puttur Kasaba village following information about illegal lottery sales.

The shop owner, Lakshmana (42), a resident of Padnoor village in Puttur, reportedly admitted to selling Kerala lottery tickets. The prohibited tickets kept for sale were seized.

Separate FIRs have been registered against both accused under the Karnataka Lotteries (Prohibition) Act, 1998.

Police have intensified their investigation to identify the network supplying Kerala lottery tickets to Puttur through the border region.