Kottayam: Kerala may be the first Indian state to have a policy for transgenders but that has not made life any easier for them.

Transgender activists have alleged that the police in Kochi have been targeting them. They point to two back-to-back incidents: in one, 11 members of the sexual minority were remanded on what they allege to be “framed” charges Friday, while in the second incident, two others were allegedly attacked by cops in Kochi Saturday night. Police have denied the charges.

In the first incident, 11 transgender people were arrested by the Kochi North police on Friday when they went to the police station to file a complaint against some north Indians who allegedly attacked them at Ernakulam Town Railway station, a transgender activist based in Kochi told Onmanorama over phone.

Harini Chandana, a transsexual stage performer, said the incident at the railway station in the early hours of Friday was in retaliation for them having questioned the north Indians at Perumbavoor who were pretending to be transgenders and begging in trains.

"We had tried to file a complaint against the north Indians, who pretend to be transgender, with the police. However, as the police did not accept our complaint, we, a group of 21 transgenders, went to their dwelling place at Perumbavoor and told the locals about them. That is when they attacked us and we had to leave.

"Then when four of my friends went for begging at the Ernakulam Town Railway Station, the north Indians who were there attacked them. They were admitted to the general hospital and in the morning 11 of them went to the station to file a complaint against the attackers. But they were arrested and later remanded," Harini said.

Explaining the daily life-issues faced by her community, Harini said the life of a transgender was much more difficult in Kerala compared to other states. "Kerala is the first state to announce a transgender policy in the country. But we are treated as some animals by the society. If this the way the police treat us, can we expect anything better from the pubic? What do they want us to do, suicide?" Harini asked in a broken voice.

The police in Ernakulam have been trying to clear the city of the transgender community, Harini alleged, adding that her friends were being framed in the case."The Malayalis are being framed because the police think then it will be easier for them to target transgender people from other states," she alleged.

However, the Ernakulam North police denied the charges and said the 11 persons were arrested based on a complaint filed by the north Indians who were attacked by them. "The arrested people attacked the north Indians and snatched their bags," a police officer told Onmanorama over phone.

Cops 'attack' transgender people

In the second incident, a group of transgenders was allegedly harassed and attacked by some policemen at Valanjambalam in Kochi Saturday night. Harini said the identity of her friends was questioned by the police in an insulting manner and they were brutally attacked without any provocation.

Sheethal Shyam, a known transgender activist based in Thrissur, told Onmanorama that her friends -- Ayisha and Poorna -- were injured by the police and have been admitted to Ernakulam general hospital. She also shared photographs of the injured persons on her Facebook page. The transgender community is planning to complain against the cops.

But the Ernakulam city police denied attacking any transgenders. The cops said they have filed a case against around 15 transgender persons who abused policemen on duty at Valanjambalam.

