Intelligence agency alerts Patiala police of rise in migrant beggars’, sadhus in the district
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ November 21,2023
Special director general of police, intelligence, Punjab has written a letter to the senior superintendent of police (SSP), Patiala and alerted him about the rise of migrant beggars’, sadhus in Patiala.
As per the available information, the intelligence agency has raised their concern over the dramatic rise of beggars, sadhus in Patiala district including local Patiala, Rajpura, Nabha, Patran, Samana etc.
The agency highlighted that “the surge in numbers of these migrants has raised eyebrows. These beggars can be spotted anywhere and everywhere in the city, from the traffic lights to the shopping centres, till late in the evening. The men, women, young and old besides the small children crowd around a person at any busy place can be seen on daily basis. It is also observed that beggars, especially women, were using infants and small children to beg on traffic signals. Their number has multiplied in the recent past. The common scene is at the traffic lights where these beggars, mostly children wipe the window screens of vehicles or sell small items and demand money in return.”
It further pointed that, “the beggars no longer make their demands in a humble way. There have been a number of complaints when the beggars have forced people to give money. In some cases the beggars have misbehaved with people if they refused.”
“Some of them appear as retarded persons, disabled persons. They can conduct crime, theft, murders, anti social activities, anti national activities if not curbed in time” underlined the agency.
Rajan, a businessman said” few years ago, hundreds of beggars had left the Ludhiana city following an ultimatum by the Ludhiana police to them to either forsake begging or earn a living honourably or leave the city immediately or face jail term. The police has either summoned the beggars to the police stations or detained them for questioning about their activities. This can be implemented in Patiala too.”
Bala Dutt, a resident said “these migrants has created nuisance in and around the focal point, PLW (earlier DCW) areas. In the evening they sit around by around 7 pm at a ground where the RTA used to conduct the driving tests. In that open ground they consumes drugs, drinks. Later they roam on a motorcycles have no number plate and do snatching on routine basis”.
When contacted the senior superintendent of police, Patiala, Varun Sharma on the matter Intelligence agency alerts Patiala police of rise in migrant beggars’, sadhus in the district, he said “Patiala has two major pilgrimage centres- Gurudwara Dukhniwaran Sahib and Kali Devi Mandir. People here do not mind giving something in charity. The visitors are giving daan to the beggars, sadhus outside these religious places that’s why the number of beggars increased. But, we are already on the job and keeping a track of them. No one will be spared for any anti-social activities.”
