Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh sarpanches linked to trafficking of underprivileged children
What's the story
What initially seemed to be isolated cases of child begging in Ahmedabad has turned out to be a well-organized trafficking racket. This information came to light after the city's crime branch launched an operation to take child beggars off the streets ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games along with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. During their drive, they discovered that sarpanches from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh acted as brokers, recruiting children from poor families and sending them to Gujarat for begging.
Broker role
Authorities pledge schooling and criminal cases
So far, police have identified 276 children who were trafficked into the city through this network. Authorities said the trafficked children will be admitted to government primary schools and provided food, shelter, and rehabilitation. Meanwhile, police are preparing criminal cases against those who exploited these innocent children for profit. A senior crime branch officer said, "All beggars are not random beggars. They are part of an organized network operating across state borders."
Syndicate operations
Racket uses sarpanches to source children
The officer added that most of these children come from extremely poor families and were sent by their parents, who saw begging in big cities as a source of income. Per TOI, the racket allegedly begins in villages where syndicate operators approach sarpanches to identify vulnerable families. "Begging syndicates in Gujarat pay village sarpanches in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to procure children," the officer said.
Deployment strategy
Syndicate pockets 20% of earnings
The sarpanches give some of the money to the parents, keep the remainder for themselves, and later on pocket 20% of the children's daily earnings. Police said the syndicate carefully chooses locations to deploy children based on their earning potential. "Religious places generate the highest collections, followed by traffic junctions, hospitals and shopping malls," another crime branch officer said.
Legal action
Authorities examine child trafficking charges
The crime branch has mapped the locations in Ahmedabad where these children are deployed and identified several sarpanches and parents involved in the arrangement. An officer said they are examining charges under child trafficking laws against those involved. The investigation continues as authorities work to dismantle this organized begging racket and protect vulnerable children from exploitation.