Indore, Feb 4 (PTI) – A motorist in Indore has been booked for allegedly giving Rs 10 to a beggar, violating the city administration's strict ban on begging and almsgiving, police confirmed on Tuesday. This marks the second such case within a fortnight as the city pushes forward with its mission to become India's first beggar-free urban center.
The incident took place in the Lasudia police station area on Monday, where an unidentified motorist gave alms to a beggar sitting outside a temple. Following a complaint from an officer of the administration’s Beggary Eradication Team, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered under Section 223 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which penalizes disobedience to public orders. Offenders under this provision can face up to one year in jail, a fine of up to Rs 5,000, or both.
The local administration has taken a firm stance against begging, implementing a legal prohibition on both soliciting and offering alms, as well as purchasing goods from beggars. A similar FIR was registered on January 23 against an unidentified individual who gave alms to a beggar in front of a temple on Khandwa Road.
Speaking to PTI, Phool Singh, an officer with the Beggary Eradication Team, highlighted the city's ongoing rehabilitation efforts. "In the last six months, more than 600 people engaged in begging have been relocated to shelter homes, while around 100 children have been sent to childcare institutions," he stated. He further noted that many individuals resort to begging under the guise of selling small items like balloons at traffic signals.
To bolster enforcement, the administration has also announced a reward of Rs 1,000 for individuals providing information about begging activities in the city.
This initiative aligns with the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s pilot project aimed at making 10 Indian cities beggar-free. Indore remains at the forefront of this movement, intensifying efforts to eradicate street begging through legal measures and rehabilitation programs.
