Stop menace of fake hijras, govt urged

Hyderabad: Members of Hijra Transgender Welfare Society here on Wednesday alleged that gangs of “fake” eunuchs were defaming the whole Hijra and Transgender Society and traditions by their illegal activities in many ways across the city.
Speaking to mediapersons here, some 150 members of the society said some greedy men having wives and children were dressing up as eunuchs and forcibly collecting money from the pedestrians and vehicle goers at busy roads and circles. They alleged that “fake” transgenders are running amuck in the city. For making easy money, they were acting like hijras and practicing illegal activities in many ways like begging, prostitution, robberies.
G. Krishna, Suraksha Society president of LCBT said the fake hijras were not only forcing children and youth from poor families to become eunuchs, they were also giving money to poor youth to undergo castration operation and collect the returns by forcing them to begging, sexual activities and micro financing against high interest rates. Many of those forcibly trapped into the heinous trade committed suicide to escape from the mafia. He also said that a gang of seven members, who are main accused behind this mafia, were arrested by the city police recently. He urged the police to slap strong cases against them and see that they don’t get bail, Krishna said.
Another member of the society Shabeera said people are afraid of duplicate eunuch gangs as they are creating nuisance on roads and at busy junctions by forcible begging and vulgar acts. She said they are genuine Hijras following a sacred tradition. “We have morals and don’t beg and don’t collect money forcibly on roads. “These anti-social elements are posing danger to the society. Police should take stringent action against the mafia otherwise they would destroy the society”, the society members said. (NSS)