Transgenders a menace for beachlovers

Chennai: Transgenders pestering beachgoers, particularly couples, for alms has become a menace at Marina Beach.
According to visitors, groups of transgenders gang up and demand 100 to 500 from couples and threaten to snatch their wallets and curse or swear at them if they refuse to pay.
Beachgoers also complained that some of them make obscene gestures or flash at them when they don't pay heed to them.In order to avoid harassment, most couples pay up.
"It is understandable that society has not been supportive of them but that doesn't mean that they can harass or humiliate others in public," said K Arun, who has faced harassment at the beach frequently.
Anna Square Police said that some of them are genuinely discriminated against by the society and have faced violence. When such people seek help from others, it will be too harsh to act on them. However, police claimed that they have booked cases and taken action against those who harass the public by demanding money.
NGOs, working towards the welfare of transgenders say that in most instances, police arrest the transgenders arbitrarily under the pretext of harassing the public and place them under illegal detention, where they are subjected to abuse and extortion.
Activists allege that police are not aware about the Transgender persons (protection of rights) act and there has to be regular sessions on sensitisation for the personnel. A senior police officer said that they had held a meeting with transgenders and warned them to not harass the visitors. "Some of them obliged to our advice, while a few continued to do it. Our patrol team will continue to keep a check on them and take action, if required,” the official said.