In the intricate social tapestry of India, the transgender community—culturally revered as Kinnars or Hijras—has historically stood as a unified entity, navigating the margins of society through shared resilience and distinct traditions.

Yet, beneath this veneer of solidarity, a fracturing crisis has emerged, characterized by religious intolerance and internal persecution. Over the last seven years, a harrowing trajectory of violence has been documented: Hindu transgenders are increasingly reporting systemic targeting by Muslim counterparts, involving physical torture, psychological warfare, and forced religious conversion.

This investigation brings to light 17 verified incidents spanning from 2019 to early 2026. Sourced directly from filed First Information Reports (FIRs), police complaints, and harrowing eyewitness testimonies, these accounts reveal a disturbing trend where the sacred Guru-Shishya (mentor-disciple) bond is weaponized to erase Hindu identity.

Current Calamities: Suicides and Outcries in 2026

The new year has begun with a somber awakening to this internal strife. On January 14, 2026, the silence was shattered in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, by the tragic death of Mona, a Hindu Kinnar. Mona allegedly died by suicide, an act her peers describe as the final escape from relentless torture orchestrated by her Muslim Guru, Kaleem Khan (known as Kiran Naik).

The aftermath saw a surge of collective grief and rage. Rani Thakur, a prominent Kinnar leader, joined forces with Hindu organizations and Bajrang Dal activists to besiege the Motinagar police station, refusing to leave until their voices were heard. The FIR registered details grim accusations: Mona was subjected to forced Islam conversion and coercion to eat beef, with many in the community fearing she was not just driven to suicide but murdered and hanged to look the part.

In a chilling synchronicity, that very same day in Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, another cry for help was formalized. A group of Hindu Kinnars, spearheaded by Bijli and Saniya Upadhyay, approached the Suriyawan police station with a desperate plea against Muslim Kinnar Manju Devi (alias). The victims detailed a campaign of harassment, describing relentless pressure to abandon Hinduism for Islam. They stated that they were being punished for rejecting their Sanatan traditions, marking the second major legal intervention linked to this crisis within a single 24-hour window.

Rising Brutality in Late 2025

The months leading up to 2026 provided a stark warning of the violence to come. In Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, a territorial dispute over "badhai" (the traditional right to bless newborns) took a sectarian turn on November 18, 2025. Hindu Kinnar Madan (alias Monika) reported that Muslim Guru Iqbal and his associates attempted to monopolize the area. However, the dispute was not merely financial; the aggressors allegedly demanded Islam conversion as a precondition for the right to work. The complaint details horrifying intimidation, with the accused threatening murder and acid attacks against those who refused. In a brave display of resistance, Monika’s group rallied with chants of "Jai Shri Ram," leading to the immediate filing of an FIR.

Weeks prior, on November 5, the distress signal rang out from Amravati, Maharashtra. A terrified group of Hindu Kinnars released a video testimony that went viral, pleading for state protection. They described lethal attacks and conversion pressure imposed by a dominant Muslim faction. Those who did not comply found themselves physically surrounded and armed against, forcing many into hiding.

Simultaneously, in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Anjali Sakhi—the Mahamandaleshwar of the Vaishno Kinnar Akhara—convened a press conference to expose the threats she faced from Muslim Kinnar Nargis. Sakhi revealed that Nargis was leveraging a lawsuit settlement to force a religious change, refusing to resolve the legal battle unless conversion occurred.

Group Anguish and Severe Accusations in Mid-2025

Perhaps the most dystopian scenes unfolded in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, a city that witnessed two separate atrocities in 2025. On October 16, the desperation of the community became undeniable when 24 Hindu transgenders attempted a mass suicide by consuming phenyl. In their statements to the police, they cited an unbearable cycle of blackmail, assaults, and threats orchestrated by Muslim Kinnar leader Sapna Haji (alias Sapna Guru) and associates Raja Hashmi. Authorities acted swiftly, arresting Haji and uncovering evidence of financial exploitation and abuse.

This mass attempt was preceded by a grotesque allegation on July 14, 2025. Hindu leader Sapna Guru filed an FIR claiming that Muslim Kinnars Naeem Ansari and Farzana from Malegaon had weaponized disease against them. The complaint alleged the accused forcibly injected HIV-positive needles into resisters, reportedly infecting nearly 60 Hindu Kinnars who refused to convert. This act of biological warfare sparked a mass exodus and terrorized compliance.

Similarly, in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, on May 6, 2025, Nikki’s group faced an ultimatum. Muslim counterparts pressured Nikki’s Hindu group to convert, using the threat of a complete social boycott and ban on livelihood to force submission.

Cycles of Duress from 2021-2024

Historical data from the preceding years highlights that these are not isolated events but part of a calculated modus operandi involving the abuse of hierarchy.

Bulandshahr, UP (Dec 21, 2024): Sita (alias Sapna) managed a narrow escape from captivity. She reported being locked up and beaten by her Muslim Guru specifically for refusing conversion*. Even after her escape, the phone threats continued.
Muzaffarnagar, UP (Nov 24, 2023): Muskan, a Dalit Hindu Kinnar, required stitches for head injuries after being assaulted, robbed, and threatened* by Kashir Ali and Guddu for rejecting Islam.
Indore, MP (Sep 22, 2023): In the Nandalalpura area, a Hindu Kinnar filed an FIR after receiving death threats... for idol worship* and refusing to adopt Islamic practices.
Sitapur, UP (Sep 22, 2023): Reports surfaced of gurus using a "carrot and stick" approach, where Hindu disciples endured beatings while being offered lures of Muslim privileges* if they apostatized.

• Aligarh, UP (Oct 31, 2022): Pankaj Kinnar was ostracized and faced expulsion from the community for refusing to perform namaz and eat meat.
• Prayagraj, UP (Jun 22, 2022): Pankaj Kinnar was not only beaten but falsely implicated in a theft case by a Shahganj Muslim Kinnar as retaliation for a failed conversion attempt.

Origins in 2019-2022: Menaces and Enticement

The roots of this coercion run deep, with early cases showing extreme physical and sexual violence.

Karnal, Haryana (Mar 14, 2022): Jyoti’s living quarters were invaded, and she was subjected to abuse. Her aggressors made specific demands for Islam and beef to stay in the dera* (camp), linking shelter directly to religious submission.
Aligarh, UP (Aug 7, 2021): In a particularly heinous case, a youth named Rahul was lured, forcibly converted, circumcised*, and sexually exploited by Muslim Kinnar Sabir. The abuse extended to threats against Rahul's family.
Faridabad, Haryana (Sep 13, 2019): Six Hindu Kinnars, including Kumkum and Sapna, filed complaints stating they endured mental torture and death threats* from Guddu Kinnar for steadfastly resisting conversion efforts.

A Plea for Immediate Interference

The statistical weight of these 17 cases—concentrated heavily in Uttar Pradesh (10) and Madhya Pradesh (4)—cannot be ignored. Every single incident cited here resulted in an FIR, legitimizing the victims' cries for help. The tactics are brutal and varied: beef coercion appears in 4 cases, lethal or acid threats in 6, physical assaults in 9, and suicide attempts in 3. The allegation of HIV injection remains a horrifying outlier that demands high-level inquiry.

Transgenders already fight a daily battle for dignity in the broader world; it is a tragedy that they must now fight for their spiritual survival within their own homes. Hindu Kinnars are merely asking for the right to preserve their Sanatan rites amidst these turf wars. It is incumbent upon the authorities to look beyond the surface of "badhai" disputes, enforce anti-conversion laws rigorously, and protect these vulnerable identities before more lives like Mona’s are lost.