Two TN cops suspended after transgender trainee attempts suicide over sexual harassment

TIRUCHY: Days after a transgender cop under training attempted to commit suicide at the Police Training Academy at Navalapattu here, two policemen including a sub-inspector at the training institute were suspended. Police sources said that the victim had filed sexual harassment complaints against the two cops.

On October 9, the 24-year-transgender cop, a resident of Pudukkottai, who has been undergoing training in the Police Training Academy, Navalpattu attempted suicide by consuming medical spirit kept in the first aid kit.

Later, she was rushed to Tiruchy MGMGH for treatment. Following intensive care, she was saved and is currently stable and recovering well. She is the fourth transgender cop selected for service in the Tamil Nadu police.

Initially it was believed that the trainee cop had taken the extreme decision over immense psychological pressure.

However, the day before the incident, the trainee cop had submitted a petition with the DIG of Training Academy alleging that two of her trainers had been sexually harassing her.

Based on the petition, a team led by a superintendent of police from Chennai and also another team from the training academy probed the incident separately. The findings of both teams revealed that the transgender cop suffered harassment.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, S Sathiya Priya, DIG of Police Training College, said, "On the petition which was submitted by the vicim, we sent two teams to investigate it on October 9. Their inquiries found that there was prima facie evidence against the two cops. Accordingly, both sub-inspector Arul Ashok Kumar and constable Isravel were suspended pending further enquriy."

She added that the issue will be probed by the Vishaka committee and necessary action will be taken accordingly.