THOOTHUKUDI: Kazhugumalai police booked two men on Wednesday for allegedly way-laying and harassing two transwomen at Kumarapuram on September 7, after a video of the incident was circulated in social media.
Sources said the accused--Novan Ruben of Kazhugumalai and Vijay of Sankarankovil--further chopped hair of one of the transwomen. "The men stopped the two trans women--Laksmi* (27) and Veni* (26) of Kazhugumalai-- and threatened them with an aruval due to enmity. They video-graphed the incident thinking they could weigh down their modesty," sources added.
Kovilpatti based trans-rights activist Grace Banu told TNIE that the accused had been threatening the transwomen for over a month saying they would release the video on social media. Laksmi* has left Chennai after the incident, she added.
The office of South Zone IG took cognisance of the video and arrested the men. The accused were booked for harassing, abusing, assaulting, and attempt to murder as per sections of the IPC and The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
*Names changed