COIMBATORE: As many as 17 persons, including eight children, who were rescued from begging across Coimbatore city, were sent back to their native state of Maharashtra on Friday.

Following frequent complaints, a team comprising the District Child Protection Officer and Child Welfare Committee Officials rescued the migrants while they were begging at some key road intersections across the city.

Among the rescued are an 11-month-old baby.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that they all had come from Nagpur in Maharashtra to seek alms.

The authorities counselled and warned of criminal action if they continued such practices. Subsequently, they were all sent back to Maharashtra by train.