A transgender software engineer was assaulted by seven men who allegedly ‘mistook’ her for a child kidnapper in Chennai’s Chrompet. The incident took place on Sunday, February 18. According to the police, the men were wandering around in the area when they ran into the transgender woman, and began to hound her asking if she was a child kidnapper. Although she clarified that she was not, the men tied her to a pole, disrobed, and assaulted her, a police source told TNM. Two of the seven men were arrested by the Shankar Nagar police on February 19.

The police said the survivor was returning to Pammal after having dinner when the men encountered her. After the assault, she underwent treatment at the Government Hospital in Chrompet. She later filed a complaint against the men, based on which the Shankar Nagar police filed a First Information Report (FIR).

Of the seven men, Nandakumar (24) and Murugan (38), both of whom are employed at the Chennai airport, were nabbed by the police. The other five men have been identified but are on the run, the police said.