Woman booked for forcing 7-year-old son to beg near Sola junction

The Mahila police have registered a case against a woman for allegedly forcing her minor son to beg on a public road near Sola in Ahmedabad, officials said on Monday.

As per the complaint filed by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Crime Branch, the incident was detected around 2.30 pm on December 15 during a special drive against child begging launched across the city.

Police said a team from the AHTU noticed a 7-year-old boy begging from pedestrians on the footpath near the Kargil Petrol Pump crossroads, close to the Sola High Court on S G Highway. The child was identified as Anand (name changed). Upon intervention, the boy’s mother, Kajalben Parmar (32), who was present nearby, claimed that she had asked the child to beg to support the family financially due to their poor economic condition.

The police said the family was living on the footpath in the open space under a bridge opposite the Sola High Court. They are originally from Thakarda village in Dungarpur district of Rajasthan.

“The child was found begging in a public place under the supervision of his mother, which amounts to exploitation of a minor,” an AHTU officer said. “Such acts not only violate the law but also endanger the safety and well-being of the child.”

The boy was rescued by the police team and counselled on the spot, officials said. An FIR has been registered against Kajalben Parmar under Sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and Section of the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959. Further action, including the child’s rehabilitation and welfare measures, is being initiated in coordination with child protection authorities, police added.