Police have nabbed the alleged head of a large child beggar group who was said to have hired underage children for street performances across the nation and severely abused them for years.

The 41-year-old suspect, Zhai Xuefeng, and his wife Wei Cuiying were caught yesterday morning when they were at a bus station in east China's Anhui Province. The couple repeatedly claimed they were wronged and never abused any kids, Shanghai-based Dragon TV reported.

Zhai insisted that eight-year-old Ren Fangfang already had injuries when she was sent to him and he had nothing to do with her three-year life in a circus-like group he led. The girl had accused Zhai of cutting off part of her tongue, ears and mouth, extracting her fingernails and forcing her to eat dirt to punish her for not meeting her begging quota, allegations Zhai denied.

Ren has arrived in Shanghai with her father to have her injuries treated. The Shanghai Time Plastic Surgery has promised her free surgery.

Wei Cuiying defended her husband, adding that all villagers involved in the child performing business have fled their hometown Taikang County in central Henan Province since the police launched an investigation.

The couple tried to escape to northeastern Heilongjiang Province after having a conversation with police on February 18 but were caught in Anhui while on their way.

The couple were escorted to Taikang for interrogation. Police said they are still hunting for bosses of similar child performing groups who were believed to have fled.

"We will never tolerate a single case that involves any possible child abuse or forced begging," said Wang Zhidong of the Taikang police.

Wang said it never occurred to local villagers or even authorities that child abuse was involved in this decades-long local business in which parents rent out their children to alleged bosses to perform for money around China.

Zhai, for the moment, faces a charge of organizing child begging.

A village official said that at least 10 people like Zhai have made a big fortune by using children of impoverished parents for street performances or begging. Some children return home with numerous injuries after years of hell-like life outside while some simply go missing.

While Ren is being treated in Shanghai, Song Wei, 8, said he lost four teeth and was often crammed in a refrigerator as punishment during his three-year ordeal with Zhai.

Elsewhere, a mother is still looking for her daughter, surnamed Zhu, who went out with Zhai but never returned.