Police Investigate Beggar Syndicate At Sunan Gunungjati Cemetery Cirebon

Cirebon City Police Chief AKBP Eko Iskandar/ANTARA/Fathnur Rohman.

CIREBON - Cirebon City Resort Police (Polres), West Java is investigating allegations of a beggar syndicate operating in the religious tourism area of the Sunan Gunungjati Tomb, especially those involving minors.

Cirebon City Police Chief AKBP Eko Iskandar said his party would not hesitate to take legal steps if a criminal element was found in the practice of begging at that location.

"If there are indications of exploitation of children or involvement of certain networks, of course we will process them according to applicable law," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, August 7.

Currently, the control of beggars, buskers, and charity box guards is being carried out by a joint team from the regional leadership coordination forum (forkopimda).

According to him, Forkopimda has held a number of meetings with related agencies and established communication with the Cirebon Canoman Palace which expressed support for this control step.

"We want conditions to remain orderly and comfortable for pilgrims. The sultanate and the surrounding community are very supportive," he said.

From the temporary data collection, he said, the number of beggars who had been detected in the area reached around 300 people, although the figure was volatile because many came from outside the region.

"This is a challenge. Because the mobility is high, we are compiling a system of who is doing what and who is responsible so that this area does not seem free," he said.

In order to maintain order, 41 joint personnel were deployed every day so that there was no begging practice in the area.

In addition to field action, continued Eko, forkopimda has also prepared a long-term coaching program in the form of professional training and ethical provision to the community around religious tourism areas.

The police chief emphasized that all these efforts aim to create a safe, orderly, and suitable environment as a religious tourist destination in the Cirebon area.

"This is an ancestral heritage that must be maintained together. If this step is taken consistently, this area will be a matter of pride for Cirebon," he said.