In Indore, a flagship city-wide campaign to eliminate visible begging has taken an unexpected turn with the discovery that a physically disabled man long seen on city streets begging was, in fact, a multi-crore property owner and money-lender.
Identified as Mangilal, he was rescued by officials from the beggar-free drive and found to own multiple houses, three auto-rickshaws, a private car with a driver, and significant financial assets, challenging public assumptions about who really belongs to the urban poor.
Authorities say he never actively begged, but by pushing an iron cart and appearing physically frail he evoked sympathy that translated into daily earnings of Rs 500–1,000 and a broader money-lending business in the city’s busy Sarafa market.
The administration’s larger initiative has already identified thousands of beggars, counseled many out of street begging, and sent hundreds for rehabilitation, even as the revelation has sparked debate about public perception and policy around destitution and exploitation.
Begging, Business, Hidden Wealth
Indore’s ambitious campaign to rid its roads and public spaces of begging has been underway since early 2024, aiming to address poverty, exploitation, and systemic destitution. The focus sharpened recently when local officials from the Women & Child Development Department rescued a man widely seen begging in the narrow lanes near Sarafa bazaar, a bustling commercial hub.
The man, Mangilal, had been a familiar sight for years, pushing a sliding iron cart while appearing frail and disabled a sight that prompted many passers-by to give money spontaneously. On deeper investigation, however, authorities were taken aback to uncover a profile that bore little resemblance to conventional poverty.
Officials discovered that Mangilal owned at least three permanent properties within the city including a three-storey house in Bhagat Singh Nagar, another dwelling in Shivnagar, and a 1-BHK flat in Alvas, reportedly acquired under government or aid schemes.
Beyond property, he also possessed three auto-rickshaws that were being rented out, and a private car for which he had even hired a driver. Further inquiries revealed that he had been engaged, for years, in extending small loans to traders and workers in the Sarafa area at interest, quietly building a money-lending operation that supplemented his daily street earnings.
Local nodal officer Dinesh Mishra told reporters that while Mangilal’s disability attracted voluntary alms from well-meaning citizens, the assumption that he was destitute was misleading he instead appears to have channelled small contributions into a broader informal economic activity. Authorities are still working to precisely quantify the extent of his wealth and financial flows, but the incident has already raised eyebrows among civic officials and residents alike.
Inside Indore’s Beggar-Free Mission
Indore’s anti-begging campaign has earned national attention in recent years. Inspired by its earlier achievements as one of India’s cleanest cities, the administration extended its vision to include social terrain aiming not only to remove beggars from streets but to rehabilitate and integrate them into mainstream life.
In partnership with departments and NGOs, officials have identified over 6,500 individuals involved in begging, provided counselling to about 4,500, and directed around 1,600 to rehabilitation centres, mainly in Ujjain. Additionally, 172 children formerly spotted begging have been enrolled in schools under supportive programs.
Beyond direct interventions, the programme has included a hotline and reward system that encourages citizens to report visible begging and suspicious activity, with cash incentives to bolster community participation. Public messaging has also emphasised that both begging and giving alms can inadvertently sustain exploitative dynamics, prompting careful public discourse about the balance between compassion and enabling harmful practices.
Successes reported by officials include a noticeable decrease in visible street begging at major intersections, rail stations, and religious sites, and recognition from external observers who have visited Indore to study the model. Some neighbouring cities in Madhya Pradesh and beyond have expressed interest in adopting similar frameworks, citing Indore’s comprehensive mix of enforcement, rehabilitation, and community engagement.
Yet, the emergence of a case like Mangilal’s underscores the complexity of this ecosystem. While the majority of those identified appear genuinely impoverished or vulnerable including the disabled, migrants, and children there have been other anomalies and debates about how beggary intersects with informal business practices, migration patterns, and economic survival strategies.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
At The Logical Indian, we approach this story not as fodder for ridicule or schadenfreude, but as a moment for deeper reflection on how society perceives vulnerability and how policy can protect the truly needy without penalising compassion.
Mangilal’s case is striking precisely because it disrupts easy narratives of poverty and deserving-ness reminding us that appearances can deceive, and that systemic efforts to address marginalisation must be grounded in thorough research, humane verification, and a commitment to dignity.
At the same time, this should not breed cynicism toward all who sit by the roadside with outstretched hands or visible disabilities. Across the country, millions live in chronic hardship, and a social safety net must prioritise support and inclusion alongside accountability. The challenge, then, is to build systems that are both just and compassionate, ensuring that no vulnerable person is overlooked nor exploited.
