Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 10 (IANS): The police have arrested Raj Nagar and his mother, Asha, who have been accused of forcing Suresh Manjhi, 26, into begging by blinding and maiming him.

The accused have revealed vital information regarding other members of the gang, including Vijay Nat, who was accused by Manjhi of blinding and maiming him and later selling him to Raj for Rs 70,000.

The police are now conducting raids to arrest other members of the gang, including Vijay Nat.

The incident had taken place six months ago, when the victim, identified as Suresh Manjhi, roaming in search of a job, was kidnapped under the Jhakarkati bridge by his acquaintance Vijay Nat, a resident of Macharia's Gulabi building, on the pretext of getting work in Gorakhpur, and kept hostage.

It is alleged that Vijay made him blind by putting chemicals and also maimed him by breaking his limbs and later sold him to Raj Nagar, the kingpin of a begging gang in Nangloi, New Delhi, for Rs 70,000.

DCP (South) Pramod Kumar said the kingpin of the begging gang, Raj and his mother Asha, have been arrested from the city.

"They have made startling disclosures regarding other hostages and other members of the gang, including Vijay Nat. A team will also go to Nangloi, New Delhi and collect information about the other hostages, while raids are underway to make the arrest of Vijay Nat possible," the DCP further said.