Haj pilgrimage racket unearthed,claims govt

With the arrest of one Sherful Haque of Murshidabad district,the West Bengal Police has busted a racket under which some agents earned large amount of commission by sending physically challenged beggars to Jedda and Mecca in Saudi Arabia for Haj pilgrimage.

With the arrest of one Sherful Haque of Murshidabad district,the West Bengal Police has busted a racket under which some agents earned large amount of commission by sending physically challenged beggars to Jedda and Mecca in Saudi Arabia for Haj pilgrimage.

This was revealed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when she during a press conference at Writers Buildings on January 4 said that her government has unearthed a racket under which physically challenged beggars were hired and sent as pilgrims to perform Haj.

About 140 people of those who went for Haj this year have not yet returned, the Chief Minister said.

Story continues below this ad

The Department of Minorities and Madrasa education which arranges the pilgrimage said the racket existed for years. It happened every year and the agents who paid paltry sum to the beggars made a lot of money out of the illegal practice.

After getting a mail from people in Saudi Arabia who spotted such beggars there,we laid a trap at Dum Dum airport and arrested Sherful,the kingpin, said a senior official of the Minorities department. He,however,said fearing arrest some people have not returned yet.

This season,about 10,000 pilgrims went for Haj from Kolkata airport and as many 36 flights took off from here. The season started in mid-October and ended in mid-December.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram