The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought for Action Taken Report (ATR) from the District Collector and Superintendent of Police of Puri and the Secretary, Department of Women & Child Development and Mission Shakti on the death of a member of transgender community at the Puri Jagannath Temple.
It may be recalled here that a member of the transgender community died after falling from the entrance dome of Singhadwar on the eastern gate of Puri’s Jagannath temple on Sunday afternoon.
The NHRC passed the order acting on a petition filed by rights activist and Supreme Court lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy.
The petition stated that on 1 May 1, a transgender, Balaram Rout (36), a resident of Nimapara jumped from the gumuta or the entrance dome of the shrine. Rout sustained grievous injuries after falling from a height of around 30 feet. The cause of death is however still shrouded under mystery.
“There is no welfare board for the transgender community as per statute and supreme court judgment in the State. The transgender members are deprived of many benefits under social welfare schemes. They live miserably with social boycott and ostracisation.
Failure and negligence of Police and inaction by Social Justice department and Temple Administration that resulted in the death of a transgender for the first time in the history of the famous temple amounts to serious violation of human rights.
Earlier pursuant to NHRC notice on Tripathy’s petition, the centre had constituted National Council for Transgender Persons, on 21 August, 2020. This is the first statutory body working for the welfare of transgender in India. Subsequently, the NHRC formulated and issued an Advisory for Protection of the Rights of LGBTQI + Community on 16 October,2020 covering various aspects like food, education, protection, financial help, etc. for strict compliance by the center and states.