“Not a Beggar, Call Him a Financier”: Indore’s Mangilal Refuses to Beg, Owns 3 Houses, 3 Autos, and a Car

Indore: As part of the city’s anti-begging campaign, authorities were taken aback when 60-year-old Mangilal Chauhan, reportedly begging in Indore’s Sarafa Market, refused to identify himself as a beggar. Despite claims that he had been soliciting alms for years, Chauhan is reported to own three houses—including a three-storey property—three auto-rickshaws, and a Maruti Dzire car.

Authorities Receive Information
Mangilal was “rescued” from Sarafa Market under the Women and Child Development Department’s anti-begging initiative. Nodal officer Dinesh Mishra said authorities had received information about a leprosy patient visiting the market weekly to beg. Chauhan, however, maintained that he runs a travel business and lends money at interest, having accumulated his properties through hard work.

Properties and Assets
According to Mishra, Chauhan owns a three-storey house measuring 16×45 feet in Bhagat Singh Nagar, a 600-square-foot house in Shivnagar, and a 10×20 feet house in Alwas. The Alwas property was allotted to him with government and Red Cross assistance due to his disability. He lives in Shivnagar with his mother and two nephews and remains unmarried. Additionally, he owns three auto-rickshaws and a Maruti Dzire.

Mangilal’s Statement
In an interview, Mangilal said, “I have never begged. I work in the travel business and lend money at interest. Those I haven’t lent to spread false stories, which the media then publishes. I was collecting interest in Sarafa Market on Saturday night when authorities took me away, claiming I was begging. I am not a beggar, and I have built my home through my own efforts.”

Neighbors’ Accounts
Shanta Bai, a neighbor in Bhagat Singh Nagar, said that Mangilal has lived on the ground floor of the three-storey house for several years and had previously begged. A media team visiting his house found standard household amenities including a cooler, fridge, TV, bed, gas stove, and two gas cylinders.

Previous Interventions
Rupali Jain, who runs a beggar rehabilitation center in Indore, stated that Mangilal had been rescued earlier and admitted that he was a former mason. He had leprosy-damaged fingers and had stayed away from begging for about two years before resuming. She noted that several families in the campaign earn significant sums daily through begging.

Family Clarifications
Mangilal’s nephew, Bhim Singh Chauhan, clarified that the three-storey house is registered in his mother’s name, two of the three auto-rickshaws are his, and the car belongs to his sister.

Anti-Begging Measures in Indore
Begging is prohibited in Indore, and authorities take strict action against violators. Rehabilitation centers have been established to reintegrate former beggars into society. In the past four years, around 5,500 individuals, including 900 children, have been rehabilitated, with 63 currently undergoing rehabilitation at one center.