398 transgenders fined for harassing passengers in Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam: As the harassment by transgenders is found to be one of the major dissatisfaction for railway passengers, the Waltair division of East Coat Railway has fined 398 transgender in the last financial year as part of its safety and security drive. The fines were imposed on the eunuchs for harassing the passengers, arguing with TTEs and violating basic rules, said a railway official.

In last year’s fortnight-long programme on Passenger and Customer Facilitation, passengers had complained that eunuchs were resorting to forcible collection of money and causing trouble to them. Hence, the enforcement officials had been asked to take stringent action against the eunuchs indulging in such practices.

The Indian Railways have started acting tough against transgenders after the National Human Rights Commission had sought a reply from the railway authorities asking about the steps taken to handle the problem.

Government Railway Police, Vizag said that they have noticed that some transgenders of Odisha, West Bengal and also Bihar have migrated to Vizag and Vizianagaram areas.

The inter-state eunuchs are causing more inconveniences than the local hijras. Inspector of Government Railway Police, Vizag, and G. Koteswara Rao said they are taking stringent action against the hijras to curb such menace. “The cops are counselling the hijras at regular intervals to bring a change in their mindset,” he said.