NEW DELHI: In a bizarre move, the Delhi Police’s elite unit, Crime Branch, has been set an unenviable task by Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar Verma. The Crime Branch, which has solved over two lakh of heinous crimes and has nabbed Delhi’s most wanted criminals and ISI agents for spying, has been assigned to catch beggars and those operating beggar gangs in the national capital.
Sources said that Verma wants Delhi to be beggar-free as they encroach footpaths and tourist places. Beggars were once the “ears and eyes” of Delhi Police, but are now “redundant”, according to Verma. He believes that they harass people and tourists across the city, especially outside malls, shopping complexes, office buildings, temples, monuments and at traffic intersections.
An anti-begging squad comprises a head constable and two constables, who identify beggars and arrest them. There are 11 certified custodial and residential institutions for beggars in the city with a capacity of 2,180 inmates.
As per the Delhi government, there are over 58,000 beggars in the city. However, human rights groups believe the number is two lakh. Out of the 300 beggars in Connaught Place, half are drug addicts.
Sources said that all the Stations House Officers of Delhi’s 162 police stations are aware about how many beggars operate in their area, but they are not interested in catching them. Last year, Delhi Police has installed biometric machines to identify beggars. The system will help police in catching ones who return to the streets after rehabilitation. They are produced before a special beggar court at Sewa Kutir in Kingsway Camp or before two mobile beggar courts.
Police caught 3,600 beggars at traffic signals last year.