Newindpress

Bangalore, Jun 7: In the technology-driven world, alm-seekers too can not be found lagging. Ingenious among the beggars in the city are seen flopping multilingual, ‘certified’ appeal for alms, complete with Indian emblem or Karnataka Government logo.

In am impressive appeal, this reporter found names of some Andhra Pradesh judges asking the charity-minded to help the bearer of this appeal. When asked, the holder of this card said that he’d got it at a cost of Rs 10.

Shekar is begging at the KSRTC Bus Station in Majestic with a colour bill appeal, which has the Karnataka logo ‘Gandaberunda’, on it. In the statement, a ‘Judge’ from Andhra Pradesh appeals, ‘‘Shekar is speech impaired, and his mother is dead. Donate money, cloths and utensils for his livelihood!’’

But Shekar’s mother is supposedly around. Sundramma, her name, says they are from Bhadravathi and came to Bangalore for alms-seeking after her husband deserted her and their two children. Sundramma said that she got 10 coloured bills from a stranger by paying Rs 10.

She says, she earns an average Rs 40 a day.

Ramaswamy, Bosco co-ordinator at Majestic said, bills and even pamphlets are available in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and English. He said it is unfortunate that even educated people get conned by this gimmick. Most of those holding the latest technique are children and women.

They are orphaned, incurably sick, injured for a great cause as the situation demands. Ramaswamy said that it is difficult to tackle these beggars. ‘‘We can send beggars to the Beggar Rehabilitation Centre. But there is no provision to send children there,’’ he told this website’s newspaper.