Pune: Beggars at the busy Raja Shivchhatrapati Chowk in Moshi have adopted a new strategy to solicit alms by pretending to clean car windows at traffic signals. Drivers have expressed concerns over this issue, urging authorities to take action to control the situation.
The beggars, realizing that people are less likely to give them money outright, have turned to selling items such as umbrellas, pens, and handkerchiefs.
Some even approach cars at the signal with children in tow, spraying soapy water on the windshields without permission and attempting to clean them with makeshift sponges.
If drivers refuse to give them money, they sometimes resort to damaging the vehicle by scratching it, making threatening gestures, or using foul language.
Reports indicate that the number of such incidents has been increasing, particularly at the signal in Raja Shivchhatrapati Chowk, which lies on the heavily trafficked Pune-Nashik Highway.
Many drivers have complained about the aggressive tactics used by these beggars, which pose a risk not only to the vehicles but also to the safety of both the beggars and the drivers.
Local residents and daily commuters have raised alarms about the potential for accidents, especially given the involvement of children who often ignore the dangers of moving traffic.
Vikas Bhosale, a daily commuter, highlighted the risks, noting that these children sometimes even climb onto the vehicle’s wheels to clean windows, creating hazardous situations.
In response, Ganesh Jamdar, Senior Police Inspector at the MIDC Police Station in Moshi, has assured the public that immediate action will be taken to curb this dangerous practice.
