Transgender persons protest against abduction

Eight booked for torturing, robbing victim

DIJKOT:

Police have registered a case against eight people on charges of torturing a transgender person after abducting him in the Batala Colony area, cutting off his hair and snatching cash and gold jewellery from him.

However, dozens of transgender persons blocked a road at the District Council Chowk and protested against the police for not arresting the accused. The Batala Colony DSP held talks with the protesters and assured them of arresting the accused at the earliest.

Zahid Yaqoob, a resident of Dawood Nagar, lodged a complaint at Batala Colony police station, stating that he was going towards the Fateh Din area in a rickshaw when eight armed accused, including Omar Hayat, Shahid Ali and Abdullah Omar, stopped it at Kabar Khana Chowk on Hilal Road.

The complainant said the accused dragged him out from the rickshaw and tortured him. Later, they kidnapped him and took him to their place, where they tortured him. While his accomplices held him, Hayat cut off his hair and beat him.

Yaqoob said the accused also recorded a video clip of him and snatched Rs60,000 in cash and three-tola gold jewellery, including a chain, a ring and earrings from him. Batala Colony police registered a case against the accused.

After the incident, local transgender persons protested at District Council Chowk, alleging that the police were not arresting the accused involved in the abduction and torture. The blockade of road by the protesters, who were shouting slogans against the police, left vehicles stuck in long queues of traffic.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2020.