Coimbatore barber gives haircuts to beggars for free

Coimbatore, Dec 16 (ANI): A barber in Coimbatore has set an example of social service by giving free haircuts and shaves to roadside beggars.

Ostracised by society, the beggars found a saviour in Devaraj who started the haircuts on these beggars some ten years ago, when he saw an unkempt beggar lying on roadside one day.

While, the other barbers used to turn down the beggars because of their shabby appearance, Devaraj decided to undertake the work of making them appear neat and clean.

He does it as social service.

"When I enquired about the shabby appearance of these people I came to know that they didn't have enough money to spend and even if they had, no barber would entertain them as they looked shabby in appearance. And it was then, I decided to undertake this as a social service," said Devaraj.

For the beggars roaming the streets in torn clothes, it is a welcome change to have their hair and beard trimmed.

"For the past 12 years I am begging on the streets and for the last 4-5 years I have not shaved my beard and got my hair cut for the simple reason that no barber would allow me to enter his shop. I looked shabby and people and kids would curse me and the worst was whenever I would walk on the street, the dogs would bark at me. But now a gentleman has come to our rescue and thanks to him, we look like a human being. We had haircut and shave after a long gap," said Nagarajan, a beggar.

Devaraj has fixed Friday of every week by for this work.

So far he has given haircuts and shaved around 2, 000 beggars in Coimbatore. (ANI)