Pune police have registered a case against nine transgender persons after a 30-year-old transgender complainant alleged that he was assaulted, threatened with forced religious conversion and robbed of ₹6.70 lakh in Kothrud. The complaint also alleges that the accused demanded a share of his begging income and threatened to kill him if he did not comply.
According to the report filed by Pudhari, the alleged incident took place at about 7pm on September 22 at the complainant’s residence near a temple in the Rambaug Colony area of Kothrud. The complainant told police that the nine accused entered his home, made allegedly derogatory remarks about Hinduism and pressured him to leave his religion and adopt another faith.
The complainant further alleged that he was beaten with a belt and bamboo. He also alleged that the accused threatened him over a demand for 50 per cent of his income from begging before taking ₹6.70 lakh in cash from his house. The allegations have not been established in court.
Police registered offences relating to robbery and criminal intimidation, along with provisions of the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion enactment cited in the report and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. The nine accused are reported to live in Ganesh Peth.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Sujata Tanwade, senior police inspector Arun Ghodke and police inspector Anil Mane visited the site after police received information about the incident. Assistant police inspector Harshal Kadam is conducting the investigation, according to the report.
The case comes as Pune police investigate other complaints involving alleged pressure to convert. The report said one case had been registered at Khadak police station against a religious preacher and another at Fursungi police station against a young man. It also said three cases had been registered in Pune city in connection with alleged pressure for religious conversion.
A separate complaint has also been registered at Faraskhana police station on the complaint of a 37-year-old transgender person against six transgender persons. According to the report, that complaint is connected to the Kothrud matter. It alleges that videos were posted on social media to defame the complainant, a religious preacher and members of a disciple group, including claims that they were converting people.
The police cases involve allegations by different complainants and remain under investigation. The next steps will depend on the investigation by Kothrud and Faraskhana police and the evidence collected in the connected complaints.
