Three transgender persons were arrested for allegedly stopping state transport buses at the exit gate of Ahmedabad's Geeta Mandir Central Bus Station and forcibly collecting money from passengers. The incident took place on the evening of 6 November.
According to the police complaint, the trio allegedly created a disturbance near the bus station's exit gate, causing inconvenience to passengers and bus drivers. ST Corporation staff caught them in the act and handed them over to Kagadapith police, who registered a case and arrested all three.
The complaint was filed by Sikandarbhai Hasanbhai Qureshi, a traffic inspector at the Geeta Mandir ST depot. He was on duty on 6 November when he received information that a group of transgender persons was obstructing ST buses near the station's exit gate.
Staff rushed to the spot
Following the information, Traffic Controller Rajkumar Mishra, Traffic Inspector Girishbhai Patel and Assistant Traffic Inspector Mustaq Ahmed Malek, along with other staff members, rushed to the spot.
On reaching the location, the staff found three transgender persons allegedly stopping buses and creating a commotion. They reportedly boarded buses and demanded money from passengers. Those who refused to pay were threatened with physical assault in public.
Blocking the exit gate
The exit gate of Geeta Mandir Central Bus Station remains busy, with long-distance ST buses departing every minute. According to the preliminary investigation, the accused allegedly stood directly in front of the exit gate, obstructing buses and causing long queues behind them.
Passengers travelling with their families often preferred to avoid public arguments and disturbances. Taking advantage of this situation, the trio allegedly pressured passengers into handing over money, even when they were unwilling to pay.
Three arrested, case registered
The ST staff members caught the trio and informed the police. The Kagadapith police subsequently registered an offence against the accused, identified as Simran De Surbhi De Pavaiya, Ainade Surbhi De Pavaiya and Ruchika De Surbhi De Pavaiya. All three were arrested, and further legal proceedings have been initiated.
The repeated obstruction reportedly inconvenienced bus drivers and passengers, while the threats of assault created an atmosphere of fear at the busy bus terminal.
Bus station security in focus
Geeta Mandir is one of Ahmedabad's busiest bus terminals, with long-distance buses departing through the day. The incident has put the focus on security and crowd management at the exit gate, where buses queue to leave the station.
Police said the case will proceed on the basis of the complaint and the statements recorded so far. The investigation will establish the sequence of events at the bus station on the evening of 6 November.
