Karnataka govt forms eight teams to curb begging

BENGALURU: To curb begging especially by children, the state government has constituted eight police teams in Bengaluru, headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP). Terming it a ‘mafia’, Social Welfare Minister, Kota Shrinivas Poojari said in the first phase, the teams will identify public places and streets where begging is rampant and within a month, try to achieve concrete results, he said.

“We are confident of going to the root of the issue and eradicate the menace,’’ the minister told reporters. On Monday, he convened a meeting with the home, labour, and women and child development departments in this regard.

The minister said there are aged people, mentally unstable, transgenders and children who are involved in begging. “Children below the age of 18 years and even infants and toddlers are used in begging at traffic signals and other places. In Bengaluru alone, we have identified 70 clusters where begging takes place. Infants and toddlers are even given drugs to make them sleep,” he said. There are also reports of children who are forcibly made disabled by inflicting injuries on them.

Children are used on rental basis in begging. “As per the Karnataka Legal Authority, 720 children have been identified in Bengaluru who are into begging and action will be taking against those responsible, including parents of these children. We are committed to implementing Karnataka Prohibition Of Beggary Act,” he said. “There was some confusion among the police personnel who recently asked me where to house people who are detained. To address the issue, we are making preparations to provide all support,’’ he said.