TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: A gang of women beggars, which is on a stealing spree in the capital, has left the police baffled even as a hunt has been launched to nab them, over the last two days.
The complaints lodged at Panjim police, who are apprehending robbery by the beggars, states that the beggars with sleeping babies in their arms are entering residential and office premises.
“They have a particular time of operating… We have launched a manhunt to locate the notorious beggars based on information that they are entering premises anytime during the day and night,” PI Rajendra Prabhudesai told Herald.
According to preliminary information available with the police, there are four to five women who are out to loot innocent householders. These professional beggars often drug their babies to sleep for several hours while they irritate passers-by especially tourists by begging for seeking alms.
However, the police are also studying the legal aspects to ensure the errant beggars, once arrested are not released on bail taking advantage on the infants they carry. PI Prabhudesai said they would tackle the case in a manner which does not allow the beggars to use the loopholes in the law.
Beggars from neighbouring States are a huge menace in the State. They begin their journey to Goa, by Diwali and then stay on over Christmas, New Year, Carnival, till the end of the tourist season.
Goa witnesses a rise in crime and thefts during the festival season with the police or government doing little to rid the State of this menace of professional begging heaped on Goans.
