E-Paper
Two transgender persons in custody for killing man after soliciting, robbing him in Nigdi
The two transgender persons lured the victim to the bushes by soliciting and then robbed of ₹4,000, according to the police. The money was also found in their possession
PIUNE Two transgender persons were remanded to police custody on Wednesday for killing a labourer by luring him with solicitation into an isolated location in the Kalbhornagar area of Nigdi, according to Krishna Prakash, commissioner of Pimpri-Chinchwad police.
The deceased man was identified as Basraj Bhimappa Itkal (38), a plumber labourer living in Chinchwad. The man was separated from his wife in 2010 and lived with his brother and his family in Anandnagar, Chinchwad.
The two arrested were identified as Anjali Balu Jadhav (25) and Anita Shivaji Mane (26), both residents of Ekta Colony in Ganesh nagar area of Thergaon, according to the police. The two lured Itkal to the bushes by soliciting and then robbed of ₹4,000, according to the police. The money was also found in their possession.
The marks on the neck led the police to believe that it was a murder and upon thorough investigation of the crime scene, the police found used as well as unused condoms on the spot. Two teams were formed under assistant police inspector Korde Amol and police sub-inspector Vijay Pawar and were monitored by assistant commissioner of police Sagar Kawade.
“During our investigation, a third person had received an extra-judicial confession from two transgender persons who said that they had solicited a man and had left him unconscious and fled with his money,” said Prakash.
The doctors have reserved the confirmed cause of death but they have opined that the death was caused by strangulation, according to Prakash.
The man had left his house at 10pm on October 31 after telling his brother that he was visiting their sister. However, the next morning the local police called and informed the family that the man was found unconscious in the open grounds of a private company in Kalbhornagar. He was taken to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial hospital in Pimpri and was declared dead on arrival.
A case under Sections 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the two at Nigdi police station and Section 8 of the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act was added to the case.
“In the case, the victim died and the act came to light. But many others who survived their robbery do not want to come forwards. Therefore, henceforth, if anyone is found soliciting, Section 8 of ITPA will be invoked against them,” said Prakash.
Livelihood provision for transgenders
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police head has claimed to begin an initiative to help train the willing members of the transgender community with vocational training and help in finding work. However, the ones who are found indulging in solicitation and robbery may be prosecuted, he said.
“The problem begins at home with the family. If the family abandons a transgender child, it is a serious crime under Juvenile Justice Act. Whoever is found doing this (handing over a transgender child to transgender adults) will face action. The transgenders who are found taking babies, with or without parents’ consent, will also face action. Furthermore, if the child is found to be sexually exploited, a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act will also be registered. Alternatively, soft skills and vocational training courses for willing transgender people will be launched through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund,” said Prakash.
The transgender community members will then be able to get jobs like plumbing, fitting, electrical fixing, industrial factory work, he said.
