Bhatkal: Gang posing as handicapped beggars exposed

Yahya Hallare
Daijiworld Media Network – Bhatkal (SP)

Bhatkal, Jul 1: We have been coming across instances of fleecing gullible people in the name of securing employment abroad, doubling money, announcement about winning lottery etc. The latest in the line of these kinds of frauds is a gang of fit persons from Uttar Pradesh (UP) posing as handicapped destitutes, and seeking alms from the people.

One such gang with six members, four men and two women, came to the fore in the town recently.  The members of this gang would fan out to different localities, do their best to elicit sympathy from the gullible public with deliberately displaying cramped postures or limps.

The tricks of the gang’s trade came to light, after someone found the movement of one of the gang’s members doubtful. When the general public tried to catch hold of the youth, he began running away, giving up his foolhardy limp and fake handicap. The person, who had dressed up as and was behaving like a Muslim, when chased, caught, and questioned, gave his name as Mukesh (22).

Mukesh also revealed that all the six members of his gang were non-Muslims, but had taken on the role of Muslim beggars to attact the sympathies of Bhatkal Muslims. He said he and his friends are from Uttar Pradesh, presently living in Murdeshwar, from where they go out to different places every day.

The locals feel cheated and disturbed at the fact that their generosity has been taken for a ride by the cheaters. They recollect a similar incident in which a person posing as handicapped beggar was caught sometime back and handed over to the police. They say they have not heard anything about any action having been taken against that man thereafter.

The names of the gang members have been given as Roshni, Ajay, Sathish, Reshma, and Mothi. Mukesh was found to be in possession of Rs 2,000, which he seems to have received as alms from large-hearted people who apparently took pity on a handicapped beggar who looked like being from a far-off place, seeking their help. The people now guess that there may be more such gangs in operation elsewhere too, and that apart from begging, the members of these gangs, who might make note of the weak security spots during their begging trips, indulge in theft and such other acts at night.