Mangaluru : Determined to keep cricket betting on a tight leash, city police commissioner Sandeep Patil sent out a warning to anyone striving to make a quick buck on the quadrennial cricketing bash, and instead advised them to enjoy the game of cricket by following exploits of their cricketing heroes on field.

The warning comes close on the heels of a similar drive that Mangaluru city police carried out during the just concluded IPL. City police had booked 18 cases of cricket betting during IPL, Patil said, adding similar drive will be conducted during the World Cup starting on Thursday in England,  “(I advise People to not get into cricket betting and lose their money,” Patil said in a post on city police WhatsApp interface.

He backed it in a Tweet(@compolmlr) exhorting Tweeple to enjoy the cricket action on field. While batsman showcases their on drives and off drives, Mangaluru Police continues its drive against cricket betting. Eighteen cases were registered during IPL, this time too will go hard against bookies and drive them out @cricketworldcup.” Police are already geared up to crackdown on bookies, Patil told.

Noting that people lured by quick money that betting offers, end up losing their life’s savings and commit suicide, Patil said the drive during IPL has sent out a message to bookies forcing them to operate from Goa. A self-confessed cricket fan, Patil in a lighter vein said, “I want people to enjoy the game for action on the ground and not off it.” Moreover, betting is illegal and police are duty bound to crack down on any such illegal activity, he said.