Top cop gives his men three days to put an end to eunuch menace
City police commissioner J P Mirji has ordered his men to book transgenders
harassing motorists at traffic signals, and forcibly collecting money from
them, under the stringent Karnataka Police Act
Often, eunuchs make lewd gestures to force people shell out money
In a belated move that is bound to see Bangalore police’s popularity ratings
shoot up, city police commissioner Jyothiprakash Mirji has given his force a
three-day deadline, starting Friday, to curb the eunuch menace. At various
signal junctions across the city, transgenders - sometimes it is just men
masquerading as women - harass motorists and collect money from them,
and Mirji has authorised his men to arrest such offenders under the Karnataka
Police Act. They will be booked either on charges of creating nuisance in
public or under the Beggary Act.
Mirji will formally brief his officers on Friday morning on how to go about it in
their respective jurisdictions, but on Thursday he reportedly told his men over
wireless to get cracking right away. Senior police officers will also interact
with different associations that represent transgenders to assure them that the
police will act only against those members of the community indulging in
such acts.
“We are very serious. We will be taking necessary action in three days. Many
people have complained to me directly about problems they face from
certain eunuchs,” Mirji told Bangalore Mirror.
The problem is especially acute in the Majestic area, M G Road, Residency
Road, St Mark’s Road, Koramangala, Indiranagar, BEL Circle and Airport
road. The eunuchs, often numbering two or three, accost motorists - mostly
those on two-wheelers or in autos - and demand money.
Those who refuse to pay are showered with abuse, threatened, groped and
sometimes even assaulted. In some places like Majestic, eunuchs even resort
to chain snatching and robbery.
Unescorted young women are particularly vulnerable. Dona Mathew, a young
techie, recounted a frightening experience. “Last week, I and two friends
were travelling from Forum mall to Domlur in an auto.
Our auto stopped at the Sony World signal. Suddenly a hijra (in a saree)
approached our auto. She first asked money and touched our heads as
though blessing us. We were reluctant to give money, but then she started
abusing us and warned us that she would kiss each of us on our mouth,”
Dona said.
“When my friend gave her a Rs 5 coin she rejected it and asked for 100
rupees. My friend who was closer to the hijra got scared and gave her 100
rupees. But the hijra refused to relent. She wanted money from the other two
of us as well and started making lewd and repulsive gestures.” Even the auto
driver’s intercession failed to dissuade the hijra. The women in the auto were
spared further indignity only because the lights turned green.
“Such incidents keep happening in various parts of the city and despite the
presence of traffic police. The cops often look the other way,” Atul C, an
executive with an MNC, said. But the police commissioner appears
determined. “It is a serious issue. I think three days is enough to solve this
problem and I am confident my men will get rid of such troublemakers,” Mirji
reiterated.
On the orders of the city police commissioner, Upparpet police have already
shifted more than 10 eunuchs indulging in such acts to Beggars Colony.
Oh! At last some hope of relief. Thank you Mirji ji - Elyas
Looks like Mr Mirji is ordering things to his men which will help the entire
bangalore population from these nuisances. But we are waiting when his
stern actions will start against DANCE BARS,MASSAGE PARLOURS also which
are not nuisance but menace to our society as these evil girls are destroying
and ruining thousands of families. We sincerely hope that he takes actions
against them at the earliest if he is not afraid that his men will be loosing
lakhs of Rs as hafta from each of these bars. - surin
Govt should support them to get a job.None of the private or govt origination
offer jobs for them. What else they can do? Action needs to be taken in the
form of providing jobs and equal rights rather than arrest under nuisance in
public or under the Beggary Act. - Arpitha
Govt should support them to get a job.None of the private or govt origination
offer jobs for them. What else they can do? Action needs to be taken in the
form of providing jobs and equal rights rather than arrest under nuisance in
public or under the Beggary Act. - Arpitha
Cops get a cut?
I am happy to read that the police are attacked by eunuchs. Finally, they will
understand the trauma we undergo whenever we stop at the signal lights.
The number of eunuchs has increased so rapidly, now there are hardly any
traffic signals on Hennur Outer Ring Road where you do not find them.
Everyday, we get a mouthful of abuse from them if we do not give them
money. The police who stand there are too busy collecting fines from
motorists and are blind and deaf to the problems people undergo here
because of these eunuchs. I sometime wonder whether these cops too get a
share from the money collected by these eunuchs.
— Vikram
Demo tactics
These eunuchs resort to unpleasant acts and extort money. It is a pain to halt
at traffic signals in Bangalore, especially for two-wheeler and three-wheeler
riders. It is heartening to see that the police have taken some steps now after
one of their own has been attacked. Right under the nose of our police
commissioner and just outside the police commissioner’s office at Infantry
Road junction and all surrounding signals these eunuchs are harassing
people. They start fighting for their rights when they are questioned or
stopped, staging a demostration or a public stripping in protest. Such acts
should not allow them to get away with their misdeeds.
— Sudheendra M G
Eunuch vote bank
I have personally witnessed how these eunuchs harass motorists. They take
advantage of the red signal and pull off the ignition keys of the two-wheelers
and demand money. The hapless riders have no other go as they have to
move as soon as the signal turns green. So they pay up without any other
alternative. This is nothing short of blackmail. Several complaints have been
registered with the police, with no concrete action on their part. Now that one
of their own brethren has been subjected to the “treatment” they suddenly
spring into action by mobilising their force to search for the culprits. The
government is also not very enthusiastic about nabbing these erring eunuchs
with the idea of a “eunuch vote bank” in future.
— Hemachandra Babu D
Sex workers’ union activist assaulted in Bangalore By Hejads ??
The night of May 11 was one that Rinky (name changed), a third-sex member
activist and sex worker with Sangama, will never forget. The member of the
Karnataka Sex Workers Union was brutally assaulted by eight people from
the Hijra (transgender) community on Airport Road. She sustained several
injuries, besides being subjected to great psychological abuse.
“She was stripped naked and forced to drink urine and gutter water,” said a
Hijra. The offenders left after snatching her earrings and bag. The incidents
on the previous day are said to be behind this attack. On Tuesday, while she
was with some hijra sex workers soliciting customers, a heated argument
ensued regarding a theft on the previous day in the area.
Rinky expressed unhappiness over the increasing number of theft cases in
the community. Some hijras joined the argument and Rinky decided to go to
one hijra’s house to resolve this issue.
“The attack on me is a fallout of that argument. I have filed a complaint. Of
the eight who attacked me, police said, three have been held. I was
discharged from Bowring Hospital and am recovering from the attack but now
I am scared as they will be looking for me,’’ said Rinky, at a press meet on
Thursday.
A city-based voluntary organisation said it would launch next month a
year-long campaign in a bid to add dignity to the lives of sexual
minorities in the society.
The organisation, Sangama, decided to launch the campaign following
the mysterious death of a 23-year-old transgender at her house in
Nethaji Nagar on Monday.
Even as the KP Agrahara police were suspecting that the deceased,
Kumari Velu, had consumed poison, gender rights activists said they
suspected foul play.
Velu’s family preferred to cremate the body without informing the
police. However, a few activists, who were informed of the incident,
approached the police.
The police were suspecting that Velu consumed poison after her parents
demanded her to crop her long hair. Velu’s parents reportedly told the
police that she became unconscious after coming out of the toilet.
A post-mortem examination was conducted at the Victoria Hospital. The
police sent the viscera to the forensic laboratory for further
investigation.
Velu had been working as a management information system coordinator
at an NGO, Suraksha. She was also pursuing her final year BCom.
Meanwhile, several human rights activists and psychiatrists would be
joining the Sangama campaign.
“Everyday we receive one or other cases related to violence and
discrimination against the community. This has also led to a rise in
suicide cases in the community. The campaign is to end discrimination
against the community and help them lead a normal life,” said Shubha
Chako, secretary of board, Sangama.
Three transgenders in Bangalore committed suicide in the past 15 days.
At least 29 transgenders in the city had taken the extreme step over
the past 15 months. Ten others were found dead under mysterious
circumstances.
Sangama said that they faced resistance from police as well as the
family members of transgenders while registering cases.
“The society is biased against the community. Even the police and
government do not help the community,” said 27-year-old Akkai
Padmasthali, a transgender and gender rights’ activist.
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