HYDERABAD: Gulbarga native Anil Pawar who was arrested for organising a begging racket in the city is said to have fed toddy to infants to make them look as though they were not well to arouse the sympathy of almsgivers.
Jubilee Hills police who identified the minors and infants who were forced into begging, sent them to rescue homes after booking cases under Juvenile Justice Act against the accused. Meanwhile, the police teams are on the lookout for three other organisers.
West Zone DCP Joel Davis said, "This is a joint operation involving multiple teams like AHTU, Smile NGO and Task Force including the Jubilee Hills police."
Hyderabad Commissioner of Police CV Anand received a complaint pertaining to the widespread begging at major junctions and signals.
Approximately 20 families from Gulabrga were brought to the city by Anil Pawar along with two absconding offenders every Monday near Paradise and would divide into 20 teams and span out to different junctions, starting from Tadbund to Hi-Tech City.
They would start begging from 5 pm and continue till 11 pm. Four organisers, who were earning Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 per day would give Rs 200 per head to the beggars whom they had deployed.
The DCP said, “It is shocking to learn that they were feeding toddy to infant kids which makes them sleepy. The offenders were playing with public emotions and tapping citizens’ sympathy.”
Cases were registered under Sections 76 and 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 27 and 28 of the Telangana Prevention of Begging Act, 1977. Three more organisers too who indulged in bringing the beggars to the city are on the run.