Thiruvananthapuram: Rumour mongering on the internet about children being kidnapped, and the mass hysteria that it triggers have taken a toll on migrant ragpickers and transgender persons. The State Police Chief Loknath Behera said that the attacks were organised ones and asked people to cross-check such allegations with the police and refrain from taking the law into their hands. "The WhatsApp forwards, mostly involve audio clippings from persons hailing from pockets like Kozhikode, Perumbavoor and Attingal. Some come with videos of migrant workers, who are carrying chocolates, being caught by mobs. It is just a claim that they are child kidnappers," said a cyber cell official.
Chandhana, 30, a transgender person who was roughed up by a mob at Valiyathura was among the last few victims, said members of the transgender community. On Sunday, Chandana placed her hand on the head of two children to bless them the same way transgender persons do it in other parts of India. However, the coastal mob who was not accustomed to such a tradition got charged up and started manhandling her.
"The rumour mongering has a malicious intention to eliminate transgenders. This mass hysteria is not different from the ones that happen when mobs hear of the black man. Transgenders being beaten up exposes the lack of law and order," said Sreemayi, a transgender activist. Cyber cell officials said that unlike social media it was harder to do surveillance on WhatsApp groups unless there was a mole in the group.
15 persons booked for assault
The city police on Tuesday registered a case against 15 persons for attacking a transgender person two days ago. The police move comes after protests by the transgender community. The accused have been booked under the IPC section 143,147 and 149 for rioting. Charges have been pressed under Section 341 (wrongful restraint) and Section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt).
The attacked person, identified as Chandana of Navaikulam was alleged to be a child lifter. The transgender person was stripped by the crowd which also demanded the attacked person to show an identity card to prove transsexual identity.
