How the Two Syndicates Run the Underground Lottery

In the cramped lanes of Kishanganj, a shadow market for lottery tickets has morphed into a full‑blown organized crime operation. Two groups—known locally as the Mehandi Group and the Baba Syndicate—control almost every illegal ticket sale in the district. The Mehandi Group, anchored at Haleem Chowk, imports Popular and Dear brand tickets straight from Bengal. Their key contact, a supplier called Partho, ships the slips in bulk, allowing the gang to flood the market with fresh draws every week.

Across town, the Baba Syndicate has set up shop in the Khagda area. Their focus is on the A‑One and King brands, which they distribute through a web of small stalls, tea shops, and even roadside dhabas. Both syndicates maintain dozens of selling points, often rotating locations to stay one step ahead of law‑enforcement notices.

The operation resembles a franchise model. Each local dealer pays a cut of the ticket price to the core gang, which in turn remits a share to the supplier in Bengal. This layering of middlemen creates a cash flow that runs into the millions of rupees monthly, converting what looks like a harmless pastime into a lucrative illicit business.

Impact on Vulnerable Families and the Police Response

For many families in Kishanganj, the allure of a quick win outweighs the risk. A single ticket can cost anywhere from a few hundred rupees to a thousand, a sum that stretches the budget of a household already living on the edge. Yet month after month, these tickets drain savings, push children out of school, and deepen debts. Community leaders report that the syndicates target areas with high unemployment, using the promise of a life‑changing prize as a carrot.

Despite the scale of the problem, police action has been limited to occasional raids that feel more like photo‑ops than genuine crackdowns. Officers typically swoop in, seize a handful of tickets, and then retreat, leaving the core network untouched. Sources inside the department admit that corruption and lack of resources hinder a deeper investigation, allowing the gangs to operate with near‑impunity.

The financial fallout is stark. Households that once managed modest incomes now find themselves owing lakhs to loan sharks who step in when lottery losses mount. Meanwhile, the syndicate leaders enjoy a rising tide of wealth—new vehicles, flashy homes, and money that circulates back into the underground economy.Experts say this pattern mirrors other illegal gambling rings across the country, where weak enforcement and community desperation feed each other. They warn that without a coordinated effort—combining intelligence, financial tracing, and community outreach—the illegal lottery will continue to thrive, eroding the economic fabric of Kishanganj.