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The man owns a car in which he goes begging. He has hired a driver for this purpose. (Credits: Pexels)
For years, shoppers and traders in Indore’s bustling Sarafa bullion market would see the same sight: A leprosy-afflicted man sliding through the lanes on a wooden cart, a worn bag on his back, hands clutching old shoes for support.
Last week, authorities found a twist in the story. The man was richer than many he begged from, owning three houses, operating an informal money-lending business that earned him over Rs 1,000 a day, and maintaining a small fleet of autorickshaws that he rented out.
Mangilal, 50, was “rescued” during an anti-begging drive by the Women and Child Development Department in Indore, where begging is banned.
According to officials, the rescue team received information about Mangilal at 10 pm on Saturday and tracked him down.
“We have learned that this man owns three concrete houses, including a three-storey building,” said Dinesh Mishra, nodal officer for the department’s begging eradication campaign. “He has three autorickshaws that he rents out. The man also owns a car in which he goes begging. He has hired a driver for this purpose.”
According to officials, Mangilal had lent Rs 4-5 lakh to people in the Sarafa area, collecting daily interest alongside the Rs 400-500 he made from begging. His method was disarmingly effective as “he never asked for money directly, simply positioning himself near shoppers until they voluntarily gave,” Mishra said.
The properties linked to Mangilal include a three-storey house in Bhagat Singh Nagar, a 600-square-foot house in Shivnagar, and a one-bedroom flat in Alwas.
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Mangilal lives with his elderly parents in Alwas, while his two brothers live separately. He has now been moved to the Sevadam Ashram in Ujjain.
District Collector Shivam Verma confirmed that punitive action would be taken once all facts are verified. “Indore is a beggar-free city, and the government is arranging for the rehabilitation of beggars so that they do not face any kind of inconvenience,” Verma said.
The Indore administration has been running an intensive anti-begging campaign since February 2024. Initial surveys identified 6,500 beggars. While 4,500 have been counselled to stop begging, 1,600 have been rescued and sent to Sevadam Ashram, and 172 children have been enrolled in schools. The city, already celebrated as India’s cleanest for a decade, has imposed legal bans on begging, giving alms, and even purchasing goods from beggars.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
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