Indra Bai, a woman in Indore, has been apprehended for allegedly compelling her children into begging, resulting in a substantial income of Rs 2.5 lakh in just 45 days. The authorities took her into custody following her persistent engagement in the illicit activity.
Indra Bai, a recurrent offender, faces charges of begging and exploiting her children for the same purpose. She has been remanded to jail custody, while one of her daughters has been entrusted to the care of an NGO.
One of her daughters has been put in the care of an NGO. “Rather than starving, we chose to beg. It is better than stealing,” Indra Bai argued with volunteers of NGO Sanstha Pravesh when she and her seven-year-old daughter were being taken off the streets. The NGO, which is working with Indore Municipal Corporation to rehabilitate beggars, has been collecting data on around 7,000 beggars, 50% of them children, from 38 major squares of Indore, TOI reported.
Rupali Jain, a volunteer with the NGO, disclosed that the beggars collectively amass over Rs 20 crore annually. Indra Bai, along with her five children aged between 2 to 10 years old, was strategically stationed at Luv Kush Square in Indore, a bustling area frequented by pilgrims heading towards the Mahakal temple in Ujjain.
Indra Bai justified her actions, stating that begging was a preferable alternative to starvation or theft. She strategically positioned her children at a transit point for Ujjain-bound pilgrims, where they were less likely to face resistance.
However, Indra Bai's income source was intercepted on February 9 when authorities apprehended her and her daughter during a begging session. While her husband and two elder children managed to evade capture, officials seized Rs 19,600 from Indra Bai and Rs 600 from her daughter.
Indra Bai confessed to accumulating Rs 2.5 lakh in the 45 days preceding her arrest. She also revealed ownership of a two-storeyed house and agricultural land in Rajasthan, as well as possession of a high-end smartphone and a motorcycle, all acquired through begging.