Transwoman in Hyderabad set on fire alive by fellow transwomen, succumbs to burns

A transwoman identified as Hamsa was immolated alive on the night of October 11 by a fellow transwoman after she left her Haveli (a ‘Hijra/Aravani/Thirunangai’ council/collective system).

A transwoman Hamsa was burnt alive by dousing petrol by rival groups last Sunday in Madhapur limits, she died this afternoon succumbing to 98% burns. @cpcybd Sir I trust that she will get justice as her life was equally precious. #JusticeForHamsa

— sunitha krishnan (@sunita_krishnan) October 13, 2020

Hamsa had been begging under Hi-tech City railway bridge for a living. She had left her Haveli and joined another group after people from her old group namely, Laasya, Samira, Moksha, Jessy, Sai Pallavi, Shekhar and Rishi had mentally harassed her, as stated by her mother in her police complaint.

The ‘Hijra/Aravani/Thirunangai’ council/collective system is known by different names in different parts of the country. In Telangana region, it is known as Dayyar or Haveli. The Haveli is inherently a hierarchical set up which is headed by a Nayak (a senior transwoman). These shared communities are close knit and include only transwomen (people born as biologically male whose gender identity or expression is of a woman). People under this system are essentially those who have run away from their families due to the unacceptance of their identities as transgender persons.

In the dying declaration video accessed by The Commune, Hamsa can be heard saying that on October 11, Shekhar poured petrol on her from the bridge above and set her on fire. She was later admitted to a hospital in Kondapur where she succumbed to her burns on October 13.

This video was recorded hours before Hamsa died. (Warning: Disturbing Content)

In the above video, Hamsa says that a total of 30-35 people from the Chanda Nagar (a suburb in Hyderabad) had come to hit her group after they left the Haveli adding that that 6 people -Laasya, Sameera, Moksha, Rishi, Sai Pallavi and Jessie had tortured her. She mentions that Shekhar was on top of the bridge and poured petrol on her while she was trying to take her vehicle and leave. “Chanda Nagar people threw petrol on me but I didn’t see who. I was running towards the road while they burnt me.”, Hamsa says.  She also says that other people from the Chanda Nagar threw mud and dirt lying around to further hurt her.

She says that even before and after this incident the people sent by the Nayak had tried to harass her and her friends repeatedly.

While in the hospital Hamsa also confirms the fact that the police report initially filed had all the wrong facts which states that Hamsa self- immolated because she was unable to tolerate the trouble that she was facing after she left the Jamaat. She points out the people who had a hand in burning and torturing her. They include Sadaa (Nayak), Laasya, Sameera, Moksha, Rishi, Sai Pallavi and Jessy.

Hamsa’s mother has lodged a complaint letter with the Madhapur police station in Cyberabad stating that the FIR registered contains false information.

In that letter, Hamsa’s mother says that it was meticulously executed plan of hate crime and murder. She notes that she along with couple of others are under enormous fear, pressure and stress from ‘hijra mafia groups’ about handing over the body to them.

“Please protect us all and ensure a safe cremation for my child without interference from the hijra bonded labour mafia.”, Hamsa’s mother states in the letter.

In other news, 25 transpersons were attacked, their clothes torn and houses damaged for refusing to pay illegal tax levied by their transwomen cartel head (known as Nayaks) and daring to leave the Jammat or Dayyar system. Read more about their plight here.

(Reported by: Ayera Choudhary, student of Law at Bennett University)