This is a story that fueled social media the past fortnight but remained in the grey zone all through. It relates to alleged harassment by a bunch of transgenders at Thirumylai MRTS rail station.
Messages zipped across social media saying that a man who had travelled from Velachery to Mylapore by train was surrounded at the platform by four transgenders who sought money. The man is said to have paid some but the transgenders continued to target him, physically pulled and pushed him and finally took off his trousers even as commuters went about their business.
The story goes that the targetted man was in tears and ran to a room in the station to secure himself. He then called his friend in Mylapore and the couple rushed to help.
When Mylapore Times spoke to a man who had passed on this news on social media and shared his phone number he claimed to have heard the story from the couple who are said to have rushed to the ‘victim’s’ aid.
But when attempts were made to get the contact of this couple, they drew a blank.
Later, it was said that the news was shared with the Mylapore MLA’s office. The MLA is said to have suggested that there seems to be nothing solid about this allegation.
It is not known if a plaint was registered with Railway Police.
A woman who says she is a friend of the ‘victim’ claims she alerted the MLA’s office and that this case is now closed – she did not want to talk to Mylapore Times about it now.
So it is still not clear if this harassment incident did take place in the MRTS station.
However, in the past Mylaporeans have reported of transgenders being pushy and aggressive while asking for money. One woman reported recently that her friend was targetted when she stepped out of a food place on TTK Road.
Transgenders surrounded me on Radhakrishnan Salai and demanded money and literally looted thousands from me . They are no victims. How much ever I had respect for them are all gone and because of few miscreants we are now afraid of all of them !