CHENNAI: In a country where their rights still loop in a rut, transpersons of Namashivayapuram in Choolaimedu found their knight in shining armour. G Anand Babu, Inspector of Police in Choolaimedu, took several transpersons under his wing when he was first posted in the locality years ago.
It was by Anand Babu and his team’s continuous efforts that these transpersons could open a new chapter in life as most of them were either abandoned by their families or trapped in a cycle of selling sex to survive.
“We used to visit them at their locality quite often. We found that many were struggling and were working as sex workers, which they opted for involuntarily. It was then that we reached out to some NGOs for help. We arranged a tailor training session and provided sewing machines initially,” said Anand Babu.
The police personnel have been actively involved in building a better life for these transpersons ever since.
Coming to the recent scenario, the Choolaimedu police has distributed four laptops, ten desktops, six sewing machines, and four pushcarts to a few transpersons, who were selected by NGOs such as Sahodari and Thozhi.
Heartwarming tales
Sub-inspector Jhansi Rani said that the police prsonnel now contribute a part of their salaries for the welfare of these transpersons.
“When I talked to them, I understood that most of them are talented. However, many are still striving to prove to their families that they can lead a normal life. They just need a platform,” the sub-inspector added. Anand Babu and his team did not step back even during the lockdown. They collected Rs 6,000 every month for the elderly transpersons.
Bharathi, a 22-year-old transwoman, who was interested in appearing for government exams, was given a part-time job and a monthly stipend from the police station