In a shocking revelation, a recent crackdown on the so-called ‘beggar mafia’ in Hyderabad has uncovered astonishing earnings among a select few families who control traffic junctions in the city.

These families, comprising parents, children, and the elderly, have been found to earn between Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,000 per day, accumulating a staggering Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh every month.

The lucrative junctions, such as Paradise, Jubilee Hills Checkpost, KBR Park, Masab Tank, Abid Road, Tank Bund, Koti Women’s College, Chandrayangutta and Mehdipatnam, are divided among these groups and wherever disputes arise, elders intervene. An amicable solution is made by fixing different traffic signal points or timing slots among the groups.

The families arrive at their designated junctions in the morning, stay throughout the day, and return home by auto-rickshaws in the evening. Some are even involved in money lending, while others indulge in alcohol consumption, leading what appears to be a lavish life.

The police have also revealed that beggars intentionally have children to evoke public sympathy, perpetuating this seven-year-old racket. These families, living in houses on the city outskirts, own cars, maintain bank deposits, and even visit pubs and multiplexes regularly.

Strikingly, beggars often present a shabby appearance with oil and charcoal smeared on their faces and under their eyes. Some have even resorted to deliberate self-harm, including cutting their limbs, to enhance their appeal to sympathetic passersby.

Law enforcement authorities are urging the public not to be deceived by these deceptive beggars, as efforts to apprehend them are underway.