A senior police officer said that while they have not arrested any transpersons in the area, they removed some transpersons from traffic signals in Dwarka based on complaints of harassment by commuters. , Photo Credit: ANI
,
Transpersons who earn their living at traffic signals in parts of southwest Delhi, including Uttam Nagar, Najafgarh and Dwarka, have accused police of arbitrarily arresting them over the past week on the pretext of security preparations for the G-20 summit .
Bela, a transperson, said a police officer in Dwarka’s Sector 23 told her that transpersons were not allowed to beg at traffic signals as foreign dignitaries were visiting the city.
Rudrani Chhetri, who runs a shelter for transpersons in the city, said she had received calls from the police not to let transpersons out of her shelter home. Ayesha, a transperson, said she was arrested minutes after she reached a traffic signal in Sector 9 of Dwarka.
When contacted, Delhi Police did not comment.
While a senior police officer said they have not arrested any transpersons in the area, they removed some transpersons from traffic signals in Dwarka based on complaints of harassment by commuters.
“Keeping in mind the security of foreign dignitaries visiting the city, we are also taking action to maintain law and order in the area,” the official said.
Another official said that removing beggars from ‘beggar-free’ zones was a routine practice.
(With inputs from Samridhi Tiwari)