Gambler jumps to death on losing money

HYDERABAD: A private college manager, who is believed to have lost Rs 3 lakh in three days in gambling, jumped to death from the third floor of the Country Club building at Begumpet here on Tuesday.

The professional gambler, KM Srinivasa Rao (47), was manager of SVIT college in Secunderabad and resident of Rasoolpura. 'Srinivasa Rao was a member of the club and was regular card player. He had membership of some other clubs also including Chiran Fort and GVR Family Club at Marredpally,' Punjagutta police inspector K Ashoka Chakravarthy said.

Rao went to the club in the morning and played cards till evening. He had his lunch at the club itself and a little after 5 pm jumped from the third floor of the Country Club Kool building located on the premises. He died instantly, the inspector said.

'It seems he might have suffered losses in gambling. He might be facing financial problems also which might have forced him to take the extreme step,' police said. It is also suspected that the victim might be in a drunken state when he took the rash decision. Sources said he played two games by betting Rs 10,000 on each game and lost both.

Country Club Kool, a five-storeyed building, was constructed just a couple of years ago and gambling is being organised there. According to the police, the club has permission to organise gambling, the game of Rummy. Srinivasa Rao played Rummy on Tuesday. Police registered a case into the death of Srinivasa Rao and are investigating.

'Only Rummy is allowed as per permission and no other type of game (three-card game) is organised,' the inspector said. Police had earlier ordered closure of clubs in the city but the managements have approached the court and have secured stay on the police's order.

In spite of several protests and demands from locals for shifting of the club which is in a residential locality, the club has been running unhindered. Just before the police order, the management of Country Club was involved in a dirty instance of attacking locals who protested before the premises demanding its closure accusing the management of encouraging 'illegal activities'.

The protesters, led by local Congress corporator Mahesh Yadav, entered the club when they were attacked. The club's thugs thrashed the protesters who included women and newspaper lensmen. Some of the protesters had to be hospitalised.