Bidar, 14 July

Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Sharma reported that 19 individuals involved in begging were rescued during recent inspections across public areas in Kalaburagi.

Among them were 14 children, with two admitted to the District Health Centre (BRIMS) for medical evaluation. The remaining 12 children and three women were placed in the District Women and Child Welfare Department’s shelter home, while two men were sent to a rehabilitation centre under the Bidar City Municipal Corporation.

Begging remains a widespread issue in Karnataka’s urban areas, often involving organised rackets. In Bidar, the use of small children, sometimes rented for a day, and women with infants in begging is on the rise. To combat this, a task force committee meeting was held on July 11 under the Karnataka Prohibition of Beggary Act, 1975. Officials were instructed to act decisively against such networks.

The Deputy Commissioner stressed that addressing begging requires more than enforcement — it demands compassion, rehabilitation, and collective action. Exploiting children for begging is a criminal offence under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, carrying up to 3 years’ imprisonment and a Rs 1 lakh fine.

Citizens are urged to report incidents by calling child helpline 1098.