Rajgir: In a major crackdown, the Social Welfare Department and Child Helpline rescued 14 children from forced begging in the tourist city of Rajgir. The joint operation, conducted on March 10, revealed that these children were being exploited to beg from foreign tourists at Rajgir’s famous historical and religious sites.
Authorities had received complaints that children were being systematically forced to beg in front of international visitors. Rajgir, known for its rich Buddhist and Jain heritage, attracts thousands of tourists every year, making it a target for such exploitation.
Pushpa Pandey, Chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, confirmed the rescue and said, “Our team found that while some children were begging voluntarily, others were left with no choice due to the absence of parents.”
She added that the rescued children would be linked to government schemes like the Parvarish Yojana and Sponsorship Yojana to provide them with education, healthcare, and security.
Before being reunited with their families, the guardians were made to sign an affidavit ensuring they would not force their children into begging again.
Complaint Received on Child Helpline 1098
Ujjwal Kumar, a representative from IDEA NGO, said that the operation was initiated after receiving information on Child Helpline 1098 about children being made to beg in the Kund area. “When our team, along with Social Welfare Department officials, arrived at the spot, we saw family members pushing the children forward to beg,” he revealed.
The investigation confirmed that the children’s own relatives were directly involved in exploiting them for money from tourists.
Members of the rescue team expressed concern over the issue and urged society to take responsibility for children’s welfare. “Education, nutrition, health, and safety are fundamental rights of every child. It is our collective duty to ensure they receive them,” they stated.
The Social Welfare Department has assured continuous monitoring to prevent such exploitation in the future.
