In an attempt to curb the begging menace in Hyderabad city, the Commissioners’ Task Force and Film Nagar police station jointly conducted a special drive against organised begging and apprehended five minors and one organiser V Surya Prakash on Monday, August 21.
Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, police said that they found the organiser V Surya Prakash, an ex-photographer, was a habitual drunkard. Unable to meet his expenses, Surya hatched a plan and hired minor boys from nearby slums for organised begging in the Film Nagar areas.
The children were made to work without their parents knowing about it. Surya would hand steel boxes, pasted with his account QR code to minor kids, and would pay them 50 rupees for the work daily.
As part of the operation, police seized three steel boxes, a smartphone connected, and Rs 640 cash.
The was booked under the Prevention of Begging Act and handed over to SHO Film Nagar for further action, whereas the juveniles were sent to shelter home Amanvedika Sneh Ghar, Monda Market, Secunderabad.
