article on beggers on city cause traffic jams
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The beggars found at almost every traffic chowk in the city have now come under the radar of the Pune police. In the past three months, the crime branch and the traffic police department have jointly held 147 beggars including 126 adults and 21 children. All of them were held at crowded junctions in the city. The reason: the beggars were causing an obstruction to the smooth flow of vehicles, holding up traffic and proving a headache to motorists.
The issue of beggars as a factor in traffic jams on city roads was discussed at the first meeting of the traffic advisory committee on January 11. The traffic police had then promised to take action against the beggars.
However, the traffic police do not have the authority to act against beggars. Thus, a special squad led by crime branch officers was formed. The traffic police provided some personnel to help the crime branch teams and a joint drive was carried out against the beggars. The police teams nabbed beggars who were causing traffic problems at various junctions. Cops also picked up beggars at the temples located on busy roads.
The crime branch squad booked the adult beggars under section 4 (1) of the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act. While the children were booked under section 32 (1) of the Juvenile Justice Act. The adults were held and sent to the state government's beggar rehabilitation home on Alandi Road while the children were sent to observation homes.
At the second meeting of the Traffic Advisory Committee held on April 19, deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Manoj Patil had informed the committee members that action has been taken against 126 adults (men and women) and 21 children who were begging at various spots in the city.
Police said many adults and children beg at signal junctions, when vehicles stop owing to red signal. They continue to beg even after the signal turns green, causing traffic congestion. This was risky also.