Thousands of Children Trapped in Begging Rings Across New Delhi

New Delhi, In the heart of India’s bustling capital, a grave child welfare crisis persists, with thousands of children forced into the streets to beg, despite stringent laws aimed at protecting them.

According to Kashmir Media Service, even with the government’s attempts to enforce strict regulations, the number of children begging in New Delhi has not seen a decline. These vulnerable youths are often seen soliciting money around major transportation hubs like metro and railway stations, and religious sites, or selling small items at traffic signals to survive.

The extent of this crisis is highlighted by observations of groups of four to five children begging at each traffic junction. Recent police data indicates an alarming rise in the number of young beggars, with approximately 44,000 children reported missing in Delhi annually. Many of these children are believed to be forced into begging by criminal syndicates that exploit their innocence for profit.

It is illegal in Delhi for children to beg independently, but many are pushed into these perilous situations by their own families, driven by dire economic needs or coercive tactics. This issue is not isolated to Delhi alone; it reflects a broader national crisis affecting millions of children from impoverished regions across India, including Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh. These children often escape from home due to factors like parental alcoholism and financial distress, only to find themselves caught in a cycle of exploitation in urban centers.

The plight of these children underlines a critical need for more effective enforcement of child protection laws and increased support services to rescue and rehabilitate young beggars. It challenges the community, law enforcement, and policymakers to commit to ending this cycle of exploitation and to safeguard the futures of the city’s most vulnerable residents.