TN transgender police constable attempts suicide alleging workplace harassment

MADURAI: R Nasriya, 22, the first transgender in the Ramanathapuram district police force, attempted suicide on Monday night alleging workplace harassment.
Nasriya released a video clip of herself consuming a poison-mixed drink. In the clip, she stated that she was forced to take the extreme step due to harassment by her superiors in the armed reserve police unit where she is working.

Nasriya joined the police unit in August 2018 after waging a legal battle. As the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board had refused to conduct a physical fitness test and an endurance test during the recruitment in 2017, she approached Madurai bench of Madras high court to get an order and appeared for the tests.

In the 1.48-minute length video, Nasriya stated that her superiors in the armed reserve unit, where she served as grade two police constable, spoke ill about her character and behaved indecently with her. They also kept teasing her, she stated.

“I am going to die soon. Inspector Muthuramalingam, SSI Jayaseelan and writer Parthiban are responsible for my death,” she stated.

Police said Nasriya consumed poison around 9pm on Monday. On seeing the video, police rushed to her room and took her to Ramanathapuram Government Hospital.

Doctors said Nasriya’s condition had become normal after treatment. She would be discharged soon, they said.

Police officials said she had raised a similar complaint with district superintendent of police Omprakash Meena against a few superiors a couple of months ago. A deputy superintendent of police-level officer, who inquired into the complaint, closed it as he had found the allegations were not true.

She had gone on leave for around 30 days without informing her superiors.

Omprakash Meena told TOI that Nasriya met him on Monday and expressed willingness to join for duty. “I allotted her a lighter duty at the passport section. She received the order and left,” he said.

Meena said he had ordered an inquiry into her complaint against her superiors. Ramanathapuram deputy superintendent of police would hold the inquiry and submit a report. Appropriate action would be taken based on the report, the SP said.