'Misbehaviour' with transgender in Kolkata bank, complaint lodged against staff

In an untoward incident, a transgender in Kolkata had to face humiliation at the hands of the bank staff when she was trying to enter the premises.

Ranjita Sinha, a member of the Association of Transgender/ Hijras in Bengal who holds a bank account in the State Bank of India (SBI) at Gokhale Road, alleged that she was harassed and abused by the staff when she wanted to meet the branch manager.

"I was trying to enter the bank, I had some queries that is why decided to cut the line and headed towards the manager's room. When I was entering the premises a security guard did not let me through and misbehaved with me. When I still tried to go they put a collapsible gate," Sinha told ANI.

She further alleged the bank staff also hurled abuses at her friends who belong to the same community.

"The kind of body language they exhibited... it was as if they were trying to humiliate me," Sinha added.

Sinha met the Branch Manager the next day of the incident and apprised him of the matter.

"I approached the manager and informed about him about the incident. Although he supported me but could not do anything as the staffs were not listening to him," she said.

Sinha has lodged a complaint at a nearby police station and demanded a written apology from the bank officials.

Ranjita has now decided to move the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) if no written apology letter is given to her till November 24.