Kolkata, August 18: A group of transwomen has filed an FIR against a Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable, accusing him of groping one of them at Rabindra Sadan metro station in Kolkata on Friday. The incident occurred when the group, en route to RG Kar Medical College to join a protest, was stopped at the station. The 27-year-old transwoman alleged that the constable groped her under the pretext of checking her "gender" and made a lewd remark.

A video of the incident shows the transwoman in tears, while the accused constable is seen avoiding the camera. Her companions went live on social media, and footage shared by activists shows the station manager and other police personnel intervening, though the accused constable was not present, reported TOI. The group also presented a copy of a written apology, allegedly from Metro Railway, carrying a "Kolkata Metro" stamp. Uttarakhand Horror: Minor Girl Gang-Raped by 5 Men in Empty Bus at ISBT Dehradun, Probe Launched.

The RPF and Metro Railway have denied the allegations, stating that the CCTV footage reviewed by their officials does not support the claims. They also filed a counter FIR against the transwomen, accusing them of raising slogans and disrupting peace at the station. Bengaluru Shocker: Returning From Party Young Woman Raped by Auto-Rickshaw Driver in Koramangala.

The alleged incident occurred after the group, following a protest near the Academy of Fine Arts, bought tickets to Shyambazar. While two transwomen were allowed to proceed, the third was allegedly stopped and harassed by the 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. The transwoman expressed shock and humiliation over the incident, which led to a heated exchange, with one of her companions pushing the constable.

The situation escalated as more transwomen and rights activists arrived at the station, leading to a commotion. Metro Railway claims that the group blocked station gates and disrupted passenger movement, prompting intervention from RPF and local police.

A case under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, has been registered at Bhowanipore Police Station. Authorities are collecting CCTV footage and other evidence as part of their ongoing investigation.

Women and Child Helpline Numbers:

Childline India – 1098; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women / Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/ 1291; Missing Child and Women – 1094.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 18, 2024 03:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).