'Mentally ill' man, forced to beg by dad, extorts alms from commuters

'Mentally ill' man, forced to beg by dad, extorts alms from Mumbai commuters

Husain's father Yad Ali was arrested after Husain threatened and attacked a commuter at Kurla station

The RPF has detained the father of a 22-year-old beggar, who was found manhandling commuters and using force to extract money out of them.

The incident came to light when RPF inspector Suresh Atri found the accused, Husain Ali, holding a commuter by the collar at Kurla station, when the latter refused to give him alms. Atri immediately intervened and brought him to the RPF post at Kurla station.

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Not the first time
According to Atri, this is not the first time that Husain was found misbehaving. Previously, when the police detained him, his father Yad Ali (65), had requested to let him go, citing his son's mental condition. "Last time we let him off with a warning, but when I found him committing the crime again, I realised he was a habitual offender," Atri said.

During investigations, Husain revealed that his father had pushed him into begging. Husain said that he would start begging at around 10 am and make R500 within four hours. When held, R5,000 was found on his person. "Both have been sent to the GRP, where Yad was charged under sections of the Bombay Police Act," Atri added.

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The other side
When mid-day contacted Yad, he claimed he was innocent. "I have a fruit stall at Crawford Market. I don't ask my son to go to stations to beg. Husain's mental condition deteriorated after an accident three years ago," he said.

According to Yad, in 2014, Husain fell off a local train between Sandhurst Road and Dockyard Road stations. "We always ask him to stay at home, but he manages to escape each time," he said. However, while Yad claims that his son is mentally ill, police investigations revealed that he got Husain married last year.