Police rescued six minor boys in the district yesterday while they were forced into begging.
Superintendent of Police Joydeb Kumer Bhadra said in a press briefing the member of law enforcers held the boys while they were begging at several points in the town in uniform of a madrasa in the district.
The rescued boys are Sohad, 10, Jewel, 11, Junayed, 16, Nayem, 9, Rezaul, 12, and Buruj Miah, 13. They hailed from different villages of Tarail upazila.
The police super said Shahid Miah, 40, and Imran, 35, of Sekendarnagar village in Tarail upazila took the six boys to Shayestaganj in Sadar upazila from different villages of Tarail one year back promising to get them admitted to the madrasa.
However, the duo kept the boys confined to a residential hotel named SR Hotel in Natun Bridge area of Shayestaganj and forced them into begging.
Joydeb said the culprits used to drop the boys, draped in madrasa uniform, each to a certain area in the morning every day and forced them to seek alms to others.
At the end of the day, they used to pick the boys up and take them to the hotel again.
They also used to beat up the minors if anyone failed to collect desired amount of alms, said the SP.
When three boys-Sohad, Jewel and Junayed went to Kalutola village in Bahubal upazila on Monday morning, a local man caught them on suspicion and informed police.
According to information provided by the boys, police conducted a drive at the hotel at night and rescued the three other boys.
During the drive, they also arrested hotel manager Russell, 25.
A case was filed in this connection accusing four persons, said the SP.
