Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Seven out of the 14 beggars sent to the newly opened shelter home in Kolar have fled within 48 hours of their arrival. The shelter, which was established on February 5 in collaboration with the district administration and an NGO, was intended to provide a better alternative for beggars picked up from the streets of Bhopal.

The shelter, which consists of two rooms with a total of 30 beds, is currently accommodating just seven individuals, six men in one room and a single woman in the other.

The women's room only has one resident, an unidentified woman who was brought in by the Mishrod police on Friday. The shelter has been facing difficulties maintaining stability, as many beggars do not stay for long periods.

Ashok Kumar, the shelter's manager, toldFree Press that out of the 14 beggars brought in so far, 7 have fled, including a female beggar named Manjula Prajapati. Prajapati was apprehended on February 21 near Jawahar Square, brought to the shelter, and then escaped the next day.

She claimed she needed to visit a relative's house or retrieve her belongings. Kumar said that most of the beggars brought to the shelter recently were picked up near Mata Mandir Square, with four individuals being captured in that area.

Common excuses Interestingly, the majority of beggars who run away from the shelter home often give two similar reasons for their departure:

* The most common excuse is that they are going to visit a relative's house. * Another frequent excuse is that they need to return to collect their belongings, like clothes.