In continuation of the insensitive crackdown on the urban poor, the Telangana State Prisons Department kept its promise of Rs 500 cash prize for anyone who provides information about beggars, as it handed out its first reward on Wednesday to Vemula Sai Krishna, a resident of Kachiguda.
Krishna received Rs 500 from Director General of Prisons, Telangana, VK Singh, as part of the department’s initiative to make the city ‘beggar-free’.
According to reports, Krishna tipped off the department about a group of beggars at Venkatramana theatre in Kacheguda area, following which authorities detained six beggars and relocated them to rehabilitation homes.
The crackdown on the homeless began on October 20, ahead of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) that was hosted in the city.
The GES was attended by several dignitaries and foreign delegates including Advisor to the US President, Ivanka Trump, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Officials said that the beggars were released after taking their fingerprints and photos, besides an undertaking from them.
According to the undertaking, the homeless, if caught again begging in the city, would be arrested under Prevention of Begging Act 1977 with an imprisonment ranging from six months to five years.
Earlier, a notification issued by the then city police Commissioner M Mahender Reddy said that the ban on begging would be only for a period of two-months.
However, it was later decided that the ban would extend and continue to remain even after the three-day GES.
Following this, The Prisons Department said that it was committed to see a 'beggar-free' city.
Those who do not sign the undertaking, but possess some educational or technical qualification, will be employed by the Prisons Department itself.
"If they are sick, we are getting them hospitalised and taking care of them. This is a comprehensive package," Singh told reporters last week.
As of December 15, 316 male beggars and 164 female beggars had been rehabilitated to the Anand Ashrams in Chanchalguda and Cherlapally Prisons. However, a large number of them were let off after signing the undertaking.
People can call the numbers 040-24511791 and 040-24527846, to report beggars, officials earlier said.