Meet Indore's crorepati beggar who owns three homes, three autos and a car

In a surprising twist during Indore's 'Beggar-free' initiative, officials uncovered that a beggar, Mangilal, actually possesses wealth worth crores of rupees.

A government campaign to remove begging from the streets of Madhya Pradesh's Indore has led to a surprising discovery. Officials found that a man named Mangilal, who was known as a beggar, actually owns property and vehicles worth crores of rupees.

Indore’s anti-begging drive uncovered a man named Mangilal who appeared to be a beggar but was actually wealthy. (AFP)

The drive, called “Beggar-free Indore”, was launched to help people who depend on begging to find better ways to live. During this campaign, teams from the Madhya Pradesh Women and Child Development Department identified Mangilal in the Sarafa Bazaar area, where he had been seen for years receiving money from passers-by, The Times of India reported.

Mangilal is physically disabled and usually moved around using a cart or by pushing himself with his hands. People felt sorry for him and often gave him cash, which could add up to ₹500-1000 every day.

When officials took him in for rehabilitation, they discovered that Mangilal was not poor. He owns three houses in different parts of Indore, including a multi-storey building and a 600 square ft home, India Today reported. He also has three auto-rickshaws and a Swift Dzire car, which he rents out to earn money.

Mangilal was also given a one-bedroom house under the PMAY scheme meant for people in need, even though he already owned property. Officials are now questioning how he received this benefit.

The investigation also revealed that Mangilal worked as a moneylender, giving loans to small shopkeepers in Sarafa Bazaar and collecting interest regularly. Authorities said charging high interest is illegal and will be examined closely.

District officials said they are verifying Mangilal’s bank accounts, income sources, and property records to calculate how much money he actually owns. He will be questioned further by senior officers, The Times of India report noted.

Officials said the Indore anti-begging campaign has so far identified thousands of people living on the streets and helped many of them find work, shelter, or schooling for their children.