At least twenty-four people from the transgender community were hospitalized in the city of Indore, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, after consuming disinfectant in an attempted “mass suicide” related to a dispute with a rival group, several Indian media outlets reported.
NDTV He reported that the incident occurred on Wednesday night and they were hospitalized shortly after.
“They have claimed to have consumed phenyl together, but this cannot be confirmed immediately,” the report quoted Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital’s in-charge superintendent Dr Basant Kumar Ningwal as saying, adding that none of them were in critical condition.
“It was not immediately clear what triggered the mass rally by transgender people,” the report said. Meanwhile, The Hindu reported that the incident occurred “following an altercation with… the leader of a rival group and his associates.”
Indore Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rajesh Dandotiya told the outlet that the leader of the rival group was arrested on Thursday and a case was registered against her and three associates for alleged assault and extortion.
“According to the FIR (first information report), there was a dispute between the two factions of the community and that [the rival group leader] and his associates allegedly threatened and assaulted the 24 people when they demanded some money from a deposit raised for a community conference, prompting them to attempt self-harm,” the report added.
He further said that an earlier FIR had been lodged against one of the associates on Tuesday after a trans woman accused him and another of the three men of “posing as journalists” and uttering threats, besides blackmailing and raping her.
The impression reported that Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Rajesh Dandotiya said that the two used to blackmail the victim by pretending to be journalists and attending the transgender community meeting in Nandlalpura in June 2025.
“The victim belongs to Kinnar society. The victim has said that the two…claimed to be journalists, used to threaten to defame her and an FIR would be registered against them, as happened in the case of their gurus. On June 12, the accused went to the dera. The accused…assaulted the victim, sexually and physically,” the report quoted reporters as saying.
He added that they were booked under section 18 of the Transgender Protection Act, 2019 and for intimidation.
The report further said that other members of the community had arrived at the hospital and demanded that the suspects be arrested, and one member threatened to end his life if the group’s demands were not met. “They also attempted suicide in the hospital by pouring kerosene, which was foiled by the police,” the report added.
Despite being legally recognized as a third gender in a landmark 2014 high court ruling, the transgender community in India often lives on the extreme margins of Indian society, with many forced into prostitution, begging or menial work.
