Days after police officers allegedly assaulted two transgender women brutally in Kozhikode and told them that they were better off dead, a case has been registered against the transgender women under Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
The police claims to have a video which features the two transgender women Susmitha and Mamta Jasmine indulging in "immoral activities," reported a Malayalam channel. In reaction to that allegation, Susmitha told TNM.
We don’t have many options for a living. We sometimes have to indulge in activities that are unacceptable to the society. We don’t look at it as a crime, it is another source of income for us.
She also said that they filed a case because they wanted to question what right did the police officials have to physically assault them.
We feel vulnerable and neglected as transgender community,Susmitha
Speaking about the violence inflicted upon them Susmitha had said: “We kept begging them to stop, telling them we would die if they kept beating us like that. They told us we were better off dead.”
Mamta Jasmine and Susmitha were walking back home at 2:30 am on 27 December, after a dance practice for a cultural programme, when they were allegedly attacked without any provocation. The policemen were patrolling near the railway station and SM Street when the incident occurred.
“We were walking back home after the practice session for a cultural event. The officers were patrolling at night and it was around 2 am. Without any provocation, the officers stopped their vehicle and charged at us,” Susmitha told TNM.
Susmitha, with the help of some friends, has registered a complaint in the Kozhikode town police station. The Kerala Chief Minister has now taken cognisance of the incident and ordered a probe, to be conducted by Kozhikode DCP Merin Joseph.
The injured trans women were admitted to the Kozhikode Beach General Hospital. Collector UV Jose has ordered the district police chief to investigate the allegations of police brutality against Susmitha and Mamta.
When contacted, the police declined to comment.
TNM has learnt that Susmitha’s FIR has been filed under sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means).
Alina, a trans woman and activist, told TNM that such instances of violence against trans people is not unusual, although there are officials who are supportive and understanding.
“Both Mamta Jasmine and Susmitha are good dancers. They had gone for a practice session and were returning home quite late in the night. They told me that the police officials were hurling abuses at them while assaulting them. The officers even told them they won’t be allowed to live in peace,” Alina told TNM.
She added, “We are even abused in broad daylight by the officials sometimes. They tag all of us as sex workers and speak to us very insultingly. There are good officials who are supportive and understanding, but the bad ones sometimes overshadow them.”
(This article was originally published in The News Minute, and has been republished here with permission.)
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