In a shocking incident, a 27-year-old transgender allegedly immolated herself in front of the Pondy Bazaar police station here around 4 a.m. on Wednesday after the police personnel seized her scooter.
Admitted to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMCH) with 90 per cent burns, she died a few hours later. Shocked by her death, members of the transgender community staged a protest on the arterial Poonamalee High Road, disrupting traffic.
According to the police, Thara, the victim, was seen along with some other transgenders at Thirumalai Pillai Road, T. Nagar, around 2 a.m. on Wednesday. When the police patrol team questioned them, they reportedly picked a quarrel and refused to move from there.
However, another patrol team, which was on crime prevention duty, made them disperse. Thara reportedly fled from the scene leaving her two-wheeler behind. After some time, Thara, who was reportedly under the influence of alcohol, went to the station and insisted that the police personnel return the vehicle to her.
Since she was in an inebriated condition, she was asked to come back in the morning. Agitated, Thara first tried to cut her neck with a sharp-edged stone.
A little later, she set herself ablaze using petrol, ran towards the police station and fell down. Policemen on duty admitted her in KMCH.
“Thara was neither detained nor secured at the station. The personnel had not beaten or intimidated her. She was only asked to get the vehicle in the morning. There is no police excess,” a senior police officer said.
Meanwhile, members of the community gathered before the hospital and resorted to a protest on the Poonamallee High Road, condemning police action.
