On Sunday, police in Mumbai, India, raided a gay party and arrested some 30 guests on charges of indecent behavior.
“The raid was conducted in the wee hours today and the accused were caught dancing indecently during the gay party. Six eunuchs were also a part of it,” stated a police spokesman. “Apart from those who participated in it, the organisers, DJs and stewards were also booked in this case.”
Homosexuality was decriminalized in the subcontinent in 2009, but LGBT Indians still face persecution: In 2009, police in Mumbai charged 113 party guests with indecent behavior, including trans Bollywood actress Bobby Darling. The hosts were additionally charged with serving liquor and playing music without a permit.
At Sunday’s bust, authorities claimed to have received a tip that there were drugs at the party, though none were discovered in the raid. Police also claimed music was being played “beyond the permitted time,” according to the Times of India.
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So let’s get this straight: 30 people were arrested for playing music too loudly?
We’ve been to India, and it’s a wonderful country. Just last week thousands participated in a march for LGBT rights in Mumbai. But, as in the U.S., old prejudices die hard.
makino
police…..the worlds legal terrorist/serial killers/criminals
jwrappaport
Come on, Queerty: Stop playing the role of cultural relativist by saying “wonderful country, but there really isn’t due process of law if you’re LGBT, but it’s still wonderful.” Any country that harasses us under the color of law ain’t a wonderful country any more than the US was in the 1950s.
Ron Jackson
India is the last place on Earth I would want to visit. The article says “Six eunuchs were also a part of it”? WTF? Did they check everyones balls that they arrested? India, a paragon of democracy NOT!
Billysees
@Ron Jackson: 3
“Did they check everyones balls….?”
Funny…..unreal…
Jessie R
@Ron Jackson: My semi-educated guess is that the ‘eunuchs’ are hijra, which encapsualtes a cultural community and role that the poor mistranslation to eunuch completely misses out on.