The Struggles of a Dalit Trans Woman Cop in Coimbatore

Image Source: The New Indian Express

Nazriya, a Dalit trans woman from Coimbatore, quit her job as a cop with the Coimbatore City police after years of struggling to endure the harassment and discrimination she suffered at the hands of her higher officers.

In an interview with The New Indian Express online, Nazriya shared her story, which includes two suicide attempts, emotional torture, and isolation by her colleagues. As a trans woman, Nazriya had to endure insults, sexual advances, and misbehavior from her higher officers, which led to her first suicide attempt in 2018. She recovered from this attempt, but her travails only increased as she continued to work as a cop in Coimbatore. Her second suicide attempt occurred in 2023, after months of emotional torture and exhaustion, particularly from her inspector, Meenambikai, who Nazriya says made her life miserable.

Nazriya’s colleagues isolated her, humiliated her, and excluded her from privileges, such as swapping shifts. She was assigned the most hectic duties and not relieved for long periods, such as during December 2022’s annual mobilization camp for the armed reserve. She was allotted escorting duty, but her colleagues took turns and relieved each other, except for Nazriya, who was not relieved by anyone.

Despite these challenges, Nazriya remained committed to her sense of responsibility and accountability. She never shied away from her duty, even when she lacked knowledge of an assignment. She would observe how others did it and figure it out on her own. However, she could not endure the harassment and discrimination any longer, which led to her quitting her job.

Nazriya’s story highlights the struggles that Dalit trans women and other marginalized groups
face in India’s police force and other public services.

Staff Reporter