Transwomen heading to RG Kar Hospital groped by RPF constable ‘to check gender’

KOLKATA: A group of transwomen who were heading to RG Kar Medical College on Friday to join the protest have filed an FIR alleging that one of them was groped by an RPF constable to check her ‘gender’ at Rabindra Sadan metro station.
A video grab of the incident shows the transwoman in tears while the alleged accused is seen trying to avoid the camera.Her companions went live on social media. Other footage released by activists who are fighting the case show the station manager intervening and cops coming in but the accused RPF personnel is nowhere to be seen. The group also produced a copy of a written apology on a blank paper that carries a ‘Kolkata Metro’ stamp.

RPF and Metro Railway have denied the allegations and filed a counter FIR against the transwomen, accusing them of raising slogans and attempting to disturb peace.

The alleged incident happened on Friday evening when three transwomen reached Rabindra Sadan metro station after participating in a protest by the community near Academy of Fine Arts and bought tickets till Shyambazar. While two of them were allowed entry to the platform, the third, a 27-year-old Kasba resident, was allegedly stopped by an RPF constable.

“I told the security personnel that I was not a terrorist and he could check my bag. Out of the blue the constable touched my breast to check my gender and made a lewd remark that he was checking if it was real or fake. I am shocked and humiliated,” the 27-year-old said. A heated exchange followed, with one of her companions pushing back the constable. “CCTV footage was seen again and again by our officials and it clearly revealed that the RPF personnel wasn’t at fault. None of these protestors were stopped or touched by any RPF personnel as has been alleged,” a Metro Railway spokesperson said.

“When we started protesting, another male security person came and pressed my hand and pulled me saying, ‘aap thoda shant hain, thora andar room mein chalke baaten karte hain (you are a quiet person, let us go to a room and talk)’. Will any male cop do that to a biological female?” said a 29-year-old transwoman, who is a make-up artist by profession. A commotion followed with around 20 transwomen and rights activists rushing to the spot on hearing the news.
“The RPF is supposed to ensure safety of commuters. But in this case they turned perpetrators. Can’t we be part of society and show solidarity with the RG Kar rape-murder victim,” said another transwoman, a 25-year-old who was at the spot with her mother.
A case under Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights, 2019), was registered at Bhowanipore Police Station. “We are collecting CCTV footage and footage from the group. We will conduct a preliminary probe and send a legal notice to the accused RPF personnel to join the probe. Their statements will be verified and the next course of action decided,” said an investigating officer.
“RPF is a central agency and it is shameful that its personnel are not even sensitised about transgender rights,” said transgender activist and former member of West Bengal Transgender Development Board, Ranjita Sinha who had to rushed to help her colleagues out.
According to Metro Railway, 10-15 transgender commuters entered Rabindra Sadan station around 6.20 pm on Thrusday and started shouting “We Want Justice” slogans. An RPF lady constable and other RPF personnel requested them not to do so as it was disturbing other passengers but they refused to pay heed and began arguing with them.
They also blocked the north side station gates that hindered passengers’ movement. Some commuters were also assaulted. A sub-inspector and other RPF personnel reached the spot from Kalighat post and tried to pacify the commuters. When they failed, Bhowanipore police station was informed. Cops arrived and tried to bring the situation under control but the chaos persisted for hours. In order to solve the problem, RPF personnel also apologised to them. Ultimately they left the station premises at 11.20 pm,” a Metro Railway spokesperson said.