Sarpanch becomes ‘middleman’ of children! MP- Innocent children from Rajasthan were brought to Ahmedabad and made to beg, they used to get commission every day – know 10 big things

Ahmedabad Child Begging Trafficking Racket: from Gujarat Ahmedabad city A big revelation has come to light regarding children seen begging on roads, traffic signals, temples, hospitals and outside malls. Initially these seemed to be isolated incidents, but now the investigation has exposed an organized inter-state child trafficking and beggary gang.

Ahmedabad Crime Branch in collaboration with Municipal Corporation (AMC) launched a special campaign to remove children from the streets as part of preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in the city. During this time, investigation revealed that sarpanches of some villages of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were allegedly playing the role of middlemen in this network.

What has come to light so far?

1. According to the police, till now 276 children have been identified, who were allegedly being brought to Ahmedabad and forced to beg through this gang. Officials say that these children will now be enrolled in government primary schools and they will be provided food, accommodation and rehabilitation facilities.
2. Preparations are being made to take criminal action against people who earn financial benefits by exploiting children under child trafficking and other related sections.
3. A senior Crime Branch officer said that not all beggars seen in the city work alone, rather many of them are part of an organized network.
4. According to the official, most of the children come from very poor families. In many cases, their parents would send them to beg in big cities because this provided income to the family.
5. Police investigation revealed that the gang operators first came in contact with the sarpanches in the villages. After this, the Sarpanch would identify economically weak families and hand over the children to the gang.
6. According to investigating officers, begging gangs from Gujarat used to give money to some sarpanches of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in exchange for children. The Sarpanch used to give a part of that amount to the parents of the children, while keeping the rest for himself. Not only this, the sarpanches allegedly received about 20 percent of the children’s daily earnings.
7. Crime Branch said that the children were not sent anywhere, rather their deployment was done as per the complete plan.
8. Investigation revealed that religious places earned the most money, hence children were sent there on priority. After this, children were deployed at places like traffic signals, hospitals and big shopping malls, so that maximum money could be raised.
9. The police have also identified the villages from where the children were brought. Besides, those places in Ahmedabad have also been mapped where these children were made to beg.
10. Officials say that many sarpanches and parents of the children have also been identified. Now the possibility of taking action against them under the Child Trafficking Act is being investigated.