Special blocks for transgender community in Kerala prisons

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The six new prison complexes being constructed in the state will have special blocks to accommodate transgenders. The move comes in the wake of the Supreme Court recognizing members of the community as the third gender.
DGP (prisons) Loknath Behera said this should be seen as an effort to protect their privacy and rights. "Their requirements are completely different from those of a man or a woman and it is essential to have special cells for them in our prisons.They need separate toilets, bathrooms and changing rooms," he said.
The decision is to set up a facility that could house a maximum of 10 persons in each prison. These cells, albeit less in number, would be seen as a special block. The DGP said a research was underway to study the designs and facilities in foreign prisons with cells for the third gender and the department would finalize facilities in the new blocks on its basis.
The special cells will come up in the new district jail complexes being constructed at Thavanur in Malappuram, Muttam in Thodupuzha and Malampuzha in Palakkad and the additional blocks being constructed at Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta district jails and the high security prison in Thrissur. "Our plan is to gradually establish such cells in all prisons," the DGP said.
Deputy inspector general (prisons) B Pradeep said there were many hazards in housing members of the third gender with men, which was the practice now. "They often face sexual harassment in prison cells and the new move can protect them from such atrocities."
Authorities said there were no transgender inmates in any prison in the state but there could be instances of people not declaring their third gender identity. It has been estimated that there are over 25,000 transgenders in the state.
The department has not decided the gender of officials to be put in charge of the transgender cells.