The transgender community of Manipur has denied having links with Laishram Kumarjit, who was shot by a militant organisation for allegedly running a sex racket in the state.
Laishram Kumarjit, 32, a well-known make-up artist and fashion designer, who also runs a salon cum spa at Sagolband Bijoy Govinda, Imphal West, claimed that some senior ministers and a top officer in the Education Department are some of his high-profile clients.
Reports said that the fashion designer was produced before a group of media persons by the militant group of Koireng led UNLF in a place in Bishnupur district and he reportedly confessed his misdeeds.
Kumarjit, son of L Sarat of Takyel Khongbal Maning Leikai, Imphal West, was shot by the militant group Koireng led UNLF on Saturday morning for allegedly running a sex racket.
ALSO READ: High-end call girl ring busted
However, Santa Khurai, secretary of the All Manipur Nupi Maanbi Association, who identified “herself” as transgender, said she knew Kumarjit personally, but he was never recognised as “transgender” by the government.
Speaking to the media at Manipur Press Club in Imphal on Sunday, Santa said that the way the media appropriated transgender identity in this crime is something that backlashes the transgender community.
Associating transgender community with such crime is badly impacting the community and it will severely affect the transgender community, Santa said.
“We have our own social culture, the person who was shot does not belong to our community”, said Santa, appealing to the media persons to communicate with transgender community ahead of reporting any related story about transgender for accurate identity.
