Prominent transgender activist and founder of Thirunar Urimai Foundation (TUF) Grace Banu has sought protection from threats allegedly made against her and other trans persons after they provided shelter to a queer couple. A 19-year-old woman from Tirunelveli and a 19-year-old trans man from Thoothukudi were given accommodation in the TUF residential campus in Sandeep Nagar near Thoothukudi, which led to the family of the woman issuing threats. “However, even after they moved out of the shelter, transgender persons of Sandeep Nagar are being threatened,” Grace told TNM.
In May, the woman and the trans man had left their respective abusive families and approached the TUF home for shelter. On May 25, after a missing persons complaint was filed by the woman’s family, TUF activists took her to the police station, where she said she had refused to go with her family. After getting a written statement from her, she was sent to Sandeep Nagar. However, due to harassment by her family, she left for Chennai. Grace said that she is staying in a government-run shelter home at present. Meanwhile, the trans man also left the shelter for a safe space. “I cannot disclose their whereabouts because of safety concerns. But they are safe,” she said.
However, since then, Grace Banu said the trans community in Sandeep Nagar and have been facing constant threats from several unidentified people. “Gangs of men come and roam in the area. I have got calls from people claiming to be from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and from Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar Pasarai and I am being threatened,” she added.
In a complaint filed with the Chief Minister’s cell and the police department, Grace requested the authorities to sensitise the family of the woman and carry out a police patrol in Sandeep Nagar. “The family of the woman and casteist people are now after us, often siege our colony with threats to attack and kill. Specifically they keep threatening me as they would attack anywhere, anytime; whom we don’t know either their personal details or their whereabouts,” it added.
When TNM contacted the Superintendent of Police L Balaji Saravanan, he said the complaint is being probed and action will be taken.