Tripura Cops Forwarded False Statement On Harassment Issue : LGBTQ Community

• Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura 

In connection to the untoward incident that took place with four LGBTQ+ victims, 13 organizations of this community on Friday claimed that the statement of Tripura Police is not satisfactory and the actual incident has been pirated in a wrong way.

The 13 organizations of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) community on Friday claimed “We, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) community in Agartala are writing this letter to express strongly and clearly our solidarity with our community friends Mohini, Raj, Sangam and Tapu who resides in Agartala and have experienced inhuman treatment, insults, threats & violence from the Tripura Police officials on January 8,2022.”

Meanwhile, the organizations from different states of India including Tripura have also provided a fact-finding report mentioning each and every minute detail about the real incident that took place on the night of January 8.

They said in Agartala, Mohini and three of her friends went to ‘Sonar Tori’ on January 8, 2022 for a DJ night. They were minding their own business and were having a good time like any other individual present in the same vicinity when 2-3 men started touching them inappropriately and groping their private parts.

They also wrote, the police personnel began harassing them during the walk, with questions about how they trick men into their traps and take money from them, amongst other slang.

“The police individuals, both men and women, kept harassing them and questioning their character all night, using ridiculous slang. Overnight, these four trans women were stripped off of their basic human rights, while the state watches them on their little screens and does not hesitate to post lewd comments or use the content for their own gains,” they said.

They informed that the statement of West Agartala Police Station given yesterday is not satisfactory and the incident has been diverted in a wrong manner where they are unlawfully trying to examine the four victims’ lifestyle, and mentioned that “We strongly object the statement as character assassination of any person without legal proceedings is unlawful”.

Henceforth, they sought the kind attention of the Government of India and the Government of Tripura, on the incident stated above and requested the governments’ humble support on this matter.