Mangilal
Credit: X/@KashifKakvi
Mangilal is a familiar face in and around Indore's Sarafa Bazaar where passers-by have seen him move around the neighbourhood wearing a backpack along with his hands inside shoes using them to push himself along as he is afflicted with leprosy.
He collects Rs 400 to 500 through cash and coins given as alms to him which has led to him accumulating wealth worth crores over the years.
Mangilal's story came to the fore when officials as part of Mission 'Beggar-free Indore' found the 50-year-old man and were taken aback after learning of his fortunes.
He was told that he would be rehabiliated after he was rescued by the Women's and Child Development Department of Madhya Pradesh.
Mangilal owns three homes - a three-storey house in Bhagat Singh Nagar, a 1 BHK flat in Alwasa and a 600 sq ft apartment in Shiv Nagar.
On the grounds of his disability, he has also received a one-bedroom flat through the Red Cross Society under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
Mangilal also owns a Swift Dzire car and three autorickshaws all of which he uses for rental purposes.
Mangilal had lent Rs 4-5 lakh to people in the bullion market here and charges interest that nets him between Rs 1000-1200 per day.
Mangilal's bank accounts and cash holdings are being verified after which he will be produced before the district collector for probe as to how he got a home under the PMAY scheme despite having two properties.
According to a report by News24, district programme officer Rajnish Sinha said, "He is also involved in usury, which is a crime. Action will be taken against those who promote begging."
Currently, Mangilal lives with his parents in his Alwasa flat and his two brothers live separately.
District Magistrate Shivam Verma said Indore is a "beggar-free city" and such campaigns, to rehabilitate those seeking alms in public, are undertaken after information of such activities is received from the public. The administration has received preliminary information about the assets of the man and appropriate legal action will be taken after all facts are verified, Verma added.
However, Rupali Jain, president of Pravesh, an NGO working to eradicate beggary, said the case of this leprosy-afflicted man should be viewed from a humanitarian perspective claiming he did not amass his alleged wealth by begging. She explained that the man used to work as a mason a few years ago, but was unable to continue after suffering severe damage to his fingers and feet due to leprosy.
(With PTI inputs)