A week after two transgender women were brutally assaulted by police officials in Kozhikode, the city town police on Wednesday registered a case against them under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
Mamta Jasmine and Susmitha were walking back home at 2.30am on December 27, after a dance practice for a cultural programme, when they were allegedly attacked without any provocation by policemen. The incident took place near the railway station.
Sushmita had earlier told TNM, “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.”
According to a report in a Malayalam channel the police claims to have a video which features the transgender women indulging in “immoral activities” in the city. The police also said that the investigation has failed to gather evidence for the assault as claimed by the transgender women.
Speaking to TNM Susmitha said, “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.”
“We filed a case because we wanted to question what right the police officials have to physically assault us? We feel vulnerable and neglected as transgender community,” added Susmitha.
Police have also reportedly stated that no CCTV visuals could be collected from the incident spot.
Susmitha also added that they are not interested in pursuing the case further, fearing other false charges would be piled on them for speaking up.
“We are considering taking the complaint back and are not interested in pursuing it further. Everybody including media will not be there for us if false charges are registered against us”, said Susmitha.
Meanwhile the Kozhikode town police station remained unreachable for comment on the issue.
Soon after the incident on December 27, following a complaint by Sushmitha, an FIR had been registered under sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means).
Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayana had taken cognizance of the incident and ordered a probe. DCP Merin Joseph was ordered to head the inquiry.