Agartala: Weeks after Agartala held its first Queer Pride Parade, five transgender persons came under physical attack at the City Centre, a shopping complex, on Friday, October 7 evening, amidst Durga festivities.
What started as a case of heckling soon turned into nearly 40 men raining blows on them, resulting in them suffering injuries. A first information report (FIR) has been filed at West Agartala Women’s Police Station in connection with the incident. However, victims allege apathy on the part of the police in initiating action.
According to 24-year-old Sayan Roy* (name changed), they were “brutally attacked” by 40 men. Roy told The Wire that the incident took place during Durga Puja festivities at the mall after two women started addressing them as ‘Hijra’ and abusing them.
“During carnival night of Durga Puja on Friday late evening, we went to City Centre in Agartala. Two women there began calling us ‘Hijra’. They started insulting and abusing us using slang. However, we ignored it. They were also discussing among themselves mockingly that we are gay and that we came there in women’s clothes. I went to them to ask why were they using such slang against us, telling them that we are from the LGBTQ community,” said Sayan.
At this point, one of the women slapped Sayan while everybody around watched. This led to a further altercation. “After the women left, we walked away from the place. All of sudden, a group of youth descended on the scene and began assaulting us physically. We were mercilessly beaten up. The security guard present there came running to us and asked us to leave. When we were about to leave the place, the women once again along with the group of other men attacked us,” recounts Sayan.
The incident was captured on a video, which has now gone viral. One of the women is seen hitting Sayan with her footwear.
Sayan along with others attacked lodged a complaint, and the police at West Agartala Women Police Station filed a first information report (FIR). “The police told us that they would call us. It’s been three days, but we haven’t received any call from the police. We don’t want anything; we just want to live peacefully like others. We are working hard to earn our bread and butter,” says Sayan.
Sneha Gupta Roy, president of Swabhiman, an NGO working for the rights of the transgender and LGBTQ community in Tripura, lamented that the incident did not the prompt necessary action from the authorities. “Everything got drowned out due to the festive mood,” said Sneha.
Explaining what actually transpired on the day, Gupta Roy said, “When these two women abused them, Sayan and his friends tried to ignore it initially. But later Sayan protested against them, leading to a heated exchange of words. The women, however, left the spot only to return with nearly 40 young men who started beating Sayan and his friends.”
