The Mahim police has cracked down on ‘professional beggars’ wherein 548 of them are sent to jail.
Keeping in mind for the rising criminal cases against beggars and drug addicts under the Mahim Police station jurisdiction, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mahim has launched massive drive against the professional beggars and has send around 548 into jail in last three months.
Interestingly, the drive has come into force from last two months and hotels who used to serve foods to these professional beggars has found empty. There is around 10 major hotels near and adjoining to Makhdoom Shah Baba Dargah well-known as Mahim Dargah. However now, you will not find a single beggar standing outside these hotels.
According to ACP Ajinath Satpute Mahim Division, “Mahim Dargah is the well known Dargah nationwide, devotees from around the world used to visit this holly place. However, beggars who always sit and eat foods outside these hotels are always seen creating nuisance in the locality. In October last year there was a murder in which both the victim and accused were beggars. While another murder was happened in January this year in this case also victim and accused both was beggars. Mahim police always used to receive complaints against these beggars. Few NGO’s, local residents and social activist also made complaints against these beggars and based on that complaints, we found these beggars are actually involved in petty crimes.”
He further added, “However, we started a drive against beggars and started picking them up. We have taken three months to clear all beggars from outside these hotels and now you will not found a single beggar because 548 have already been sent to jail, while drug addicts were also on our radar and we have registered 381 NDPS cases in last three months.’’
Social Worker Irfan Machhiwala said, “We are thankful to ACP Mahim division Ajinath Satpute for arresting professional beggars and drug addicts from Mahim and sending in jail. Since he has joined Mahim police station, he has started big drive against drug addicts. He has even controlled chain snatching cases. He has controlled noise pollution. He is also personally supervising bikes are parked in discipline way outside Mahim Makhdoom Shah Baba Dargah and Mahim Kabrastan. He has increased patrolling at nights, not allowing vagrants to sleep on footpaths of Mahim West.’’
Our drive against beggars and druggist will be continue in future as well, our DCP Vikram Deshmane, Senior Police Inspector (SPI) Milind Gadankush and staff of Mahim Police station has done outstanding job in this drive, said the officer.
“We are thankful to ACP Mahim division Ajinath Satpute for arresting professional beggars and drug addicts from Mahim and sending in jail. Since he has joined Mahim police station, he has started big drive against drug addicts.
— Irfan Machhiwala, Social Worker