MHRC Orders Manipur Police to Act on Complaint of Violence Against Transgender Woman; Highlights Systemic Abuse Within Transgender Households
The Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has directed the Superintendent of Police, Imphal West, to take immediate action on a complaint involving violent assault and discrimination against a transgender woman, Miss Usham Deepika Chanu. The directive follows allegations that the police failed to act despite repeated complaints lodged earlier this month.
According to the petition, Miss Deepika, who is legally recognised as female under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, approached Imphal Police Station on 12 November with a written report detailing grave cognizable offences committed against her by members of her own family. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the police allegedly did not register an FIR, record a statement, or initiate any procedural action. A subsequent representation submitted to the Superintendent of Police on 19 November also went unanswered.
After hearing the case on 28 November, Acting Chairperson of MHRC, Shri K. Khagendra Singh, instructed the Superintendent of Police, Imphal West, to issue necessary directions to the Officer-in-Charge of Imphal Police Station. The Commission also ordered the police to submit a compliance report by 22 December 2025.
While the directive provides immediate relief to the complainant, the Commission noted that the case reflects a deeper issue of widespread yet under-reported violence against transgender persons within their own households. Instances of physical assault, intimidation, economic deprivation, humiliation, and forced suppression of gender identity remain common but rarely reach law enforcement due to fear of retaliation, loss of shelter, economic insecurity, social stigma, and apprehension of discriminatory treatment by authorities.
Miss Deepika’s decision to seek legal recourse—both against her family members and the alleged inaction of the police—has been described in the press statement as a courageous step. Her complaint, now backed by MHRC, exposes systemic gaps in the protection of transgender persons’ rights in Manipur. It also highlighted the urgent need for police sensitisation, strict implementation of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, and mechanisms enabling transgender individuals to report violence safely.
The Commission emphasised that the case should serve as a call to action for authorities at all levels to ensure that legal protections for transgender persons are effectively enforced. It reiterated that safeguarding transgender lives begins within the home but must ultimately be guaranteed by the State.