Peshawar men allegedly kidnap transgender woman, sexually abuse her in car

PESHAWAR: A group of unidentified men allegedly sexually abused a transgender woman in a moving car after kidnapping her here in Peshawar's Chamkani neighbourhood, police confirmed on Sunday.

According to the police, a first information report (FIR) of the incident has been registered. However, it is unclear if the case only included a charge of kidnapping or gang-rape as well.

"I was going home after a programme [event] when unknown individuals forcibly threw me inside their car and whisked off," the transgender woman told police.

"They cut my hair and snatched my mobile phone. They also raped me" in the car, she claimed. "They let go of me near Chughal Pura and left me there."

Members of the marginalised transgender community are often targeted by criminals across the country. 

In September this year, some unidentified men opened fire on two transgender individuals, killing one and wounding the other in Peshawar's Palosi neighbourhood.

According to the president of transgender rights group TransAction Alliance Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Farzana Ilyas, in the last four or five years, more than 500 transgender individuals have been raped and 68 murdered since 2015.