In a shocking incident, two trans women were brutally attacked by goons in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu on October 7. The incident came to light after trans rights activist Grace Banu tweeted the video of the attack where a trans woman in yellow saree suffered an injury in her eye and one person is seen chopping off her hair. The Kalugumalai police have arrested two men – Yuvan and Vijay – and booked them under sections 294D (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 341 (wrongful restraint) 324 (causing hurt using dangerous weapons) 307 (attempt to murder) 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act.
Couple of trans women attacked by this goons @tnpoliceoffl @CityTirunelveli @TUTICORINPOLICE @sivagangapolice @mducollector @maduraipolice .Break your silence pic.twitter.com/HHwGuTJtI2
— GRACE BANU (@thirunangai) October 12, 2022
According to initial reports, the incident took place at Kalugumalai in Thoothukudi district. The South Zone Police had launched an inquiry into the incident and teams were immediately dispatched to trace the victims and the accused. “We have identified the persons including the victims in this video and are taking legal action in this regard,” read a tweet earlier posted by Tamil Nadu police South Zone twitter handle.
We have identified the persons including the victims in this video and are taking legal action in this regard . https://t.co/ylvs8qEL8e
— Tamil Nadu Police - South Zone (@SouthZoneTNpol) October 12, 2022
According to trans rights activist Grance Banu, the incident happened on October 7 and the video was shared by the perpetrators in four Whatsapp groups to threaten the trans women. “The victims were brutally attacked before recording the video. After the incident, the trans women were scared and did not even go to a hospital for treatment. We have managed to locate only one victim and the other person has left the district due to fear,” she added.
A complaint was registered with the Thoothukudi police seeking action against those who attacked the trans women, and activists have also sought security for the victims.