Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], February 14 (HBTV): Authorities in Bhopal have taken a significant step in cracking down on begging, registering the first FIR against both a beggar and an almsgiver at the MP Nagar police station on Wednesday, a police officer said.

This move follows the Bhopal District Collector’s order, issued on February 3, banning both begging and the act of giving alms in the city.

According to MP Nagar police station in-charge Jaihind Sharma, a team was formed to monitor beggars across Bhopal. On February 12, a team member observed a person giving alms to a beggar at Board Office Square. While both individuals fled, the complainant, Mohan Soni, reported the incident to the police, leading to an FIR.

'On February 3, the Bhopal Collector issued an order prohibiting begging in the city and directed action against both almsgivers and beggars. A team was subsequently formed to monitor the situation. On February 12, complainant Mohan Soni, a team member, saw an individual giving alms to a beggar at Board Office Square. When he attempted to catch them, they fled the scene. Following this, he approached MP Nagar police station to file a complaint. Based on his report, we have registered a case and initiated a search operation,' Sharma stated.

The officer added that authorities are tracing the almsgiver using the vehicle registration number and will take the individual into custody.

Earlier this month, on February 3, Bhopal Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh issued the prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023. The section grants officials the power to issue urgent orders in cases of public nuisance or perceived danger.

The order also stated that legal action would be taken against individuals violating these instructions under Section 223 of BNSS, 2023.

This initiative aims to make Bhopal a beggar-free city, following Indore, which implemented a similar ban on January 1, 2025. The central government has also launched a pilot project to create beggar-free cities in 10 major urban centers, including Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai.

Authorities in Indore have already conducted surveys revealing that some beggars own permanent houses or have children with stable jobs. This has prompted officials to take action against what they describe as anti-social activities. (ANI)