HYDERABAD: The third case in the recent crackdown against the begging mafia was registered in the city on Monday. While the three different cases have presented themselves with distinct modus operandi, in the most recent instance, which came to light due to the efforts of the Film Nagar police and Task Force sleuths, a photographer was arrested for engaging minor boys as part-time beggars.
According to Film Nagar police, the accused, Surya Prakash, was a professional photographer but appeared to harbour an aversion to hard work. Moreover, his struggles with alcoholism left him with negligible funds after meeting his expenses. In light of these challenges, he hatched a scheme to earn quick money by enticing young boys into part-time begging activities. Surya Prakash succeeded in luring five minors aged between 11 and 12 years, offering them part-time roles as beggars and ensuring their sustenance.
After their school hours ended, the victims would meet the accused. In return, he provided them with metal piggy banks and QR codes, instructing them to affix the codes to the boxes. Following their beggarly tasks, he collected the earnings, remunerating each child with Rs 50, accompanied occasionally by servings of biryani, the police added. The financial transactions facilitated by the QR codes ranged from Rs 10 to Rs 50, collected from commuters using online payment methods.
The police added that none of the parents of the minor children were aware of their purported part-time employment as beggars. The children hid their activities by telling their parents that they were going to tuition classes. Their activities were concentrated in and around the Film Nagar area and neighbouring shopping malls. The accused had initiated these activities a few months prior.
Unlike the case in Malakpet, where the offenders had invested in property, the photographer in question expended his earnings on alcohol, the police added. During the arrest, the police also seized three metal boxes and Rs 640 in cash.