THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid criticism of the police’s insensitive and harsh handling of transgender persons, the DGP has asked the police personnel not to force them to reveal their sexual orientation or identity while effecting arrests in criminal offences.
The directive issued by Anil Kant said that if transgender persons do not possess the relevant document, their self-declaration should be taken at face value before effecting the arrest. The Legislative Assembly’s Committee for the Welfare of Women, Transgenders, Children and the Differently-abled recently reported that the police, in several instances, had misbehaved with transwomen who had not undergone sex re-assignment surgery and whose outward appearance was that of men.
The Aluva police had recently courted a controversy after the transgender community alleged that a transperson was told to undergo a gender test by a woman officer. The transperson had approached the police after some people misbehaved with her.
The DGP’s directive stressed on compliance with the provisions in the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act and other central rules, and warned the erring officers of strict action.