Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Jul 12: A disturbing allegation has emerged from a man named Yadav, a resident of Kavoor and a security guard working at a college in Moodbidri, who claims he was wrongfully detained and harassed for a year at a Nirashritha Kendra (destitute shelter home) located in Pacchanady.

According to Yadav, the ordeal began while he was walking through the State Bank area on his way to work. He was approached by two security personnel in a vehicle who questioned him and asked him to get in. Unaware of the situation and the nature of the institution, Yadav agreed, only to find himself taken to the Nirashritha Kendra.

Yadav alleges that the moment he entered the centre, the harassment began. "They immediately start mistreating you. They send letters to our families claiming we were caught begging, and when the families come, they are not allowed to speak to us initially. Even during conversations, the staff listen in. They manipulate the families into believing we were caught drunk or begging," Yadav stated.

He claims he was released from the centre on July 10, with only Rs 10 given to him upon release. “My brother-in-law had come to visit me at the centre, but they did not even let me speak to him,” he added.

Yadav believes the system is being misused to project that the centre is full and thus receive more government funding. He said the facility is supposed to support genuine beggars—those without a home, family, or income—but instead is detaining innocent individuals, including those who are employed and have families.

He further alleges physical abuse within the centre. “They beat the inmates; some have bruises. We are not even allowed to lean on the wall and sit. The food served is also inedible—just wheat boiled in plain water without salt for breakfast. Only when inspections are scheduled do they start preparing proper meals like rice, but that begins four days in advance,” he said.

Yadav claims to have evidence of his employment and stated that he is still owed Rs 5,000 in salary by the college. He denies the centre staff's claims that they saw him begging near State Bank area for four days. "I was simply walking to work," he reiterated.

He also alleged that several inmates at the centre are not destitute and have families, including some youngsters from Uttara Kannada. According to him, the centre's superintendent even takes some of the inmates to his house and the homes of other officers to make them do personal chores.

“They manipulate the families with precise and convincing stories, making them believe we are in a helpless condition. If a superintendent stays in such a post for 35 years, it clearly points to a massive scam,” Yadav concluded.

He has now appealed to the district administration to look into the functioning of the Nirashritha Kendra and investigate the alleged misuse of authority, wrongful detentions, and abuse of inmates.