Family affair: Children pushed into crime by parents & grandparents

new delhi: A family always wants what's best for their children but for some families in Delhi — what's best for their children might as well include pushing them to a life of crime in order to earn money.

The Delhi Police recently arrested Nathu Ram and his grandson Tarun from the posh Greater Kailash area in two separate criminal cases. "Prior to the lockdown, Nathu Ram started selling liquor. So far, we have not found any other case against him," one probe officer said.

Besides, police have now also identified a family of four in South Delhi's Ambedkar Nagar, allegedly involved in criminal activities. In fact, in one such case, police have apprehended a child of the family and his grandmother for snatching a woman's purse. "Like other juveniles, he was introduced to crime at a very early age of about 8 years most probably by his parents," an official said.

Police have said that 19-year-old Tarun had studied till primary school and started gambling around six months ago. They added that he started helping Nathu Ram (62) with his illicit liquor business after the lockdown measures started being relaxed. "Per quarter they were earning a profit of Rs 5 to 10. They told us that due to an economically weak background, they started committing crimes," an official said. Whatever the money they made went towards their joint family's expenses.

As per Tarun's statement, his father and grandfather were vegetable sellers and he helped them in their business. To earn easy money, he started gambling. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Atul Kumar Thakur said the accused used to hide the illicit liquor under their vegetable cart in plastic bags and concealed them with the empty sacks of vegetables to avoid detection.

In the Ambedkar Nagar case, police said both parents of the apprehended juvenile had criminal backgrounds. They added that the boy's father was in jail for a theft case and the mother was absconding. "The minor started lifting bags, or other articles from footpaths, shops and from open vehicles. He then started stealing cycles," a police official said.