Cops arrest kids who picked up cash from Jain procession for 'begging'
By Dharmendra Tiwari
The Mulund police are under fire for arrested seven minor children for 'begging' after they were spotted picking up currency, fruits and dress material thrown by a Jain family that was taking Diksha, the process of material renunciation, on Friday evening.
Eyewitnesses said the family was throwing five-hundred and thousand rupee notes during the procession. Besides the arrested children, even adults from the neighbouring areas picked up the cash and fruits strewn on the road.
Raghunath Kanaujia, who runs a small laundry shop in the vicinity, said his nine-year-old son Atul saw the procession pass and out of curiosity, picked up some fruits from the road.
"They picked Atul and worse, also my 17-year-year son Lovlesh, who was just taking care of his younger brother," said Kanaujia.
The children were taken to the police station and from there, sent to the children's remand homes at Govandi and Parel.
“When I went to police station they make me sit in the police station from 10am to 6pm, I cried and begged before police, showed Atul’s school identity card as well but they didn't listen to us,” Kanaujia added.
Indu Jaiswal, who till recently was working as a school teacher, said, “On Friday I went to local municipal hospital for routine check up, leaving my youngest son Suraj at home. When i came back, he was not at home. After three hours of anxiety and intense search by family and friends, I came to know he was in the police station.
"Suraj claimed he heard the sound of a band playing and out of curiosity he left the home along with his friend Atul, to see was happening, where he picked up some currency notes lying on road. A police constable came and took them inside the vehicle and rushed to the police station."
The Mulund police asked parents to provide Adhar Card and school certificates of the children. By the time the parents returned with the documents, the children were already shifted to the remand homes.
Sub-Inspector V Pansare, from Mulund police station, said, “All kids were picked up as per law and we found them begging during our patrolling.”
Pansare said the police followed procedure and sent the rescued kid to children remand home. "A court will decide over their custody," said Pansare.
However, Pansare failed to reply whether kids were picking up money thrown during procession or they were begging on street.
Rai alleged, “We have been going to police station since Friday evening but nobody spoke to parents or guided them about what to do. They may be poor people but not beggars.”
The Mulund police are under fire for arrested seven minor children for 'begging' after they were spotted picking up currency, fruits and dress material thrown by a Jain family that was taking Diksha, the process of material renunciation, on Friday evening.
Eyewitnesses said the family was throwing five-hundred and thousand rupee notes during the procession. Besides the arrested children, even adults from the neighbouring areas picked up the cash and fruits strewn on the road.
"It was then that a police team from Mulund arrived and started picking up random people, especially children, under the Begging Act," said Dharamveer Rai, a social worker from the area. "They were immediately taken to the police station for further documentation without even informing their parents."
Raghunath Kanaujia, who runs a small laundry shop in the vicinity, said his nine-year-old son Atul saw the procession pass and out of curiosity, picked up some fruits from the road.
"They picked Atul and worse, also my 17-year-year son Lovlesh, who was just taking care of his younger brother," said Kanaujia.
The children were taken to the police station and from there, sent to the children's remand homes at Govandi and Parel.
“When I went to police station they make me sit in the police station from 10am to 6pm, I cried and begged before police, showed Atul’s school identity card as well but they didn't listen to us,” Kanaujia added.
Indu Jaiswal, who till recently was working as a school teacher, said, “On Friday I went to local municipal hospital for routine check up, leaving my youngest son Suraj at home. When i came back, he was not at home. After three hours of anxiety and intense search by family and friends, I came to know he was in the police station.
"Suraj claimed he heard the sound of a band playing and out of curiosity he left the home along with his friend Atul, to see was happening, where he picked up some currency notes lying on road. A police constable came and took them inside the vehicle and rushed to the police station."
The Mulund police asked parents to provide Adhar Card and school certificates of the children. By the time the parents returned with the documents, the children were already shifted to the remand homes.
Sub-Inspector V Pansare, from Mulund police station, said, “All kids were picked up as per law and we found them begging during our patrolling.”
Pansare said the police followed procedure and sent the rescued kid to children remand home. "A court will decide over their custody," said Pansare.
However, Pansare failed to reply whether kids were picking up money thrown during procession or they were begging on street.
Rai alleged, “We have been going to police station since Friday evening but nobody spoke to parents or guided them about what to do. They may be poor people but not beggars.”
