Stay away from extortion begging: Cops to transgenders

Hyderabad: The Cyberabad police on Monday warned the transgender community under the commissionerate limits not to indulge in extortion and commit forceful begging. The cops said they would book the transgenders if they received repeated complaints.

Hundreds of complaints have been received by the Cyberabad police from the public that some persons claiming to be transgenders were creating nuisance and troubling the commuters by stopping them and demanding money. The public complained about the trespassing of transgenders at private functions, business establishments and other ceremonies.

The police also received complaints that some transgenders had tried to extort over Rs 30,000 from some businessmen and when the businessmen refused to pay, the transgenders abused and threatened to curse them. Feeling it necessary to counsel them, Cyberabad SHE teams in charge and Malkajgiri DCP R Rama Rajeshwari conducted a counselling session to the transgenders about the legal implications of illegal practices and also explained them about their rights as a citizen.

Various issues including imparting legal awareness, educating about recent legislation on transgenders’ rights and awareness on education, rehabilitation and mainstreaming of the lifestyle of the third gender were addressed in the meeting. The meeting, attended by over 200 persons, mainly focussed on legal education about the ‘third gender’ and about the Supreme Court’s declaration of transgenders as socially and economically backward class entitled to reservations in education and jobs.

They were told about the preventive and rehabilitative steps and were given examples of transgenders who attained successful positions in politics, education, arts, cinema, media and various other professions. Addressing the gathering, the DCP said the police were also sensitised on dealing with the ‘third gender’ both as victims and perpetrators of crimes.