By Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Jun 5: Goa's Home Ministry on Thursday ordered an inquiry after media carried reports about a beggar being thrown in the garbage dump allegedly by a police control room vehicle (PCR) in the capital city of Panaji on Tuesday night.
"I will ask Director General of Police (DGP) to inquire into the incident. We will inquire whether the beggar was really thrown in the garbage dump by PCR vehicle," state Home Minister Ravi Naik told reporters this afternoon.
The local media had carried a story about a beggar who was picked up from a city street and dumped into garbage pile allegedly by PCR, which rush to the spot responding to the complaints on '100' number.
The aged destitute could not walk and had crawled upto
the compound wall of Young Men Christian's Association (YMCA) hostel in the city. The begger reportedly spent night in the pile of garbage.
The YMCA officials, currently, has sheltered the begger who cannot walk due to weakness in the limb.
Naik on Thusday said that the police are instructed to send ailing beggers to hospitals, if they are found on the street.
The YMCA assistant secretary Godwin Fernandes on Wednesday had said that he saw police jeep arriving between 7.45 pm and 8.00 pm on Tuesday night at the same spot where the begger was found.
Police had initially denied being involved in any such acts. "If police have done this we will inquire into the matter," superintendent of police Atmaram Deshpande had told reporters on Wednesday.
The YMCA officials quoting the beggar had disclosed that he was shifted from the city streets at the behest of a city restaurant owner, where he was begging.
The Home Minister, however, refused to comment on the issue adding that the state police were implementing Anti-begging Act in the state.
"There are few people who come from other states and beg here. You will not find a Goan begger as we have enough rehabilitation schemes," Naik said.
The Home Minister in past had courted controversy after he made a statement on the floor of the house equating Biharis as beggars.
The statement had sparked off protests in Bihar with leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar condemning the statement.