Anti-begging Act grants policemen right to arrest beggars

Hyderabad: While authorities are currently focusing on rehabilitating destitute women and children who beg, activists say that the existing laws should be used to first curb the begging mafia.

“It shouldn’t be so difficult to trace and arrest those who are a part of the organised mafia. We have so many CCTV cameras at all major junctions in the city and it is at these junctions that the beggars are mostly found. If the police department studies the CCTV footage for some time, the people behind the racket can be identified,” said, Rajesh Azaad, an activist working on the issue.

The AP Prevention of Begging Rules (2010) Act gives authority to any police officer above the rank of sub-inspector to arrest a beggar without a warrant.

The case is then to be taken up based on the person's health, age and other factors as stated in the law.

As per the Act, if a person is found to be physically fit and still indulging in begging, then he or she can be sent for detention in a workhouse.

The Act also states that training and elementary education is to be provided by the government to those who are rehabilitated.