Hyderabad: Thirty seven attacks have been reported against eunuchs in Hyderabad since March. Shockingly there were around 10 deaths, three gangrapes and five acid attacks.
Many eunuchs are being attacked everyday. Around 90 per cent have attempted suicide at least once.
With the police not helping them, the Telangana Hijra Transgender Samithi met minister E. Rajender and submitted a memorandum demanding implementation of the SC order recognising them as the third gender.
November 20 is the International Transgender Day of Remembrance. This day honours eunuchs who were killed.
“A transgender was killed last week. Nisha was gangraped, Satyamma was murdered, Krishnamma’s body was found near the railway station.
They were all aged between 25 and 35 and were very vocal about the rights of eunuchs. We have filed many FIRs at the Gopalapuram and Madhapur police stations in vain,” said Bittu, a member of the Telangana Hijra Transgender Samithi (THTS).
As per the report near Jubilee Hills itself there were seven attacks. Namitha, 25 and Monalisa, 39 were attacked by a mob of 30 men on April 6, 2014, Sirisha, 20, Lahari, 28, and Gipsika, 20, were attacked by four men with beer bottles on April 19, 2014. Ravika, 20, was attacked by men who smashed her head with a rock on April 30, 2014. Later, Alaknanda, 20, was attacked in the same area. On May 1, Nandini, 21, and Bhanu, 22, were attacked by three men, Kangana, 24, was attacked on May 17.
There have been many more attacks in Secunderabad and in Banjara Hills.
“A man named Venkat has been terrorising eunuchs by taking their money and phones at knifepoint,” said Yasm-ine, a THTS member.
The community is very disappointed. “We are begging as nobody gives us jobs. Even the GHMC does not hire us as sweepers. We can do any work, but we face rejection,” said Soumya, a eunuch.
Meanwhile some fight stigma, bag jobs and rebuild lives
While many transgenders are still struggling for basic needs there are a few who have successfully fought the stigma and have made a success of their lives.
An example is Chandramukhi who is now working with a media house. “I declared my orientation in 2000 and my family accepted me in 2011.
The phase was very tough as I had no emotional support. I started working with an NGO — HIV/AIDS Alliance — which works for people from my community and creates awareness on HIV and other diseases.
After the SC order I started applying at media houses, but they rejected me. But one media house asked me to work for them. Since, then there has been no looking back,” she said.
Bittu, who is a teacher at the University of Hyderabad said that unless a person is financially independent life is very difficult.
Like Vijayanti, who is now a successful corporate employee working with Accenture or Santosh who is working as a nurse, many said they were still awaiting opportunities.
Many transgenders in AP have been given homes by the government after the collectors of Tirupati, Nellore and Chittoor took up their cases.
“Telangana must also take this up. We are requesting the government to provide reservation for us so that we can live on our own,” Bittu added.
