VASCO
The recent incident involving the abduction of an infant has shocked residents in the port town and they have demanded action on the menace of beggars in the port town.
The demands were made after two beggars were arrested by Vasco police on charges of kidnapping an 11-month-old infant from a couple asleep near the Sai Baba temple and fleeing with the baby to Mumbai.
Vasco presently has a large number of beggars and most of them are found near Damodar Temple, Sai Baba Temple, Apna Bazaar, Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) and the Vasco Railway station.
Social activist Preetam Queloscar said no one was sure from where the beggars had arrived and how their numbers have been rising every passing day.
"The government must have some shelter homes for these beggars where they can be relocated. Beggars also defecate in the open and create a nuisance after dark. These beggars also have fights between themselves after getting inebriated and sometimes they can be dangerous," said Queloscar.
"Beggars are all over the city and they harass tourists. What is worse is that they carry small children to arouse sympathy among people," added Queloscar.
Meanwhile, Mormugao councillor Vinod Kinlekar appealed to the MMC chairperson, chief officer and even police to work on a solution to tackle the beggar menace.
"This is a big issue and cannot be taken lightly because we have seen how two beggars were involved in the kidnapping of an 11-month-old baby from Vasco. While some people could be begging out of helplessness and poverty, some are pretending to be beggars and they can even attack people for money and also molest women in the dark.”
“There has to be strict action against beggars because now they are also into crime besides begging and we feel that this could be a contract business operated by someone as they automatically reach temples and churches during feasts and festivals with small children.”
“It is high time that authorities like the MMC chairperson, chief officer and police join hands and act against these beggars before they commit more crimes. Authorities must work out a solution to tackle this rising beggar menace," said Kinlekar.
