Banda Turns into Battlefield: Two Transgender Groups Clash Over Area Dispute Inside Police Station, 27 Arrested

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In a dramatic incident on Monday, the Naraini police station in Banda district turned into a battlefield when two rival transgender groups — the ‘Katrina Group’ and the ‘Banno Group’ — clashed violently over territorial control. What began as a heated argument soon escalated into a full-blown brawl inside the police station premises, leaving officers struggling to maintain order.

Eyewitnesses reported that members from both groups began exchanging punches and kicks in the police compound and meeting hall, creating chaos and panic. Police officers, caught off guard by the sudden eruption of violence, had to physically intervene to separate the two sides but faced great difficulty as neither group was willing to back down.

27 arrested after massive scuffle inside police station
According to Circle Officer (CO) Krishnakant Tripathi, the clash broke out over territorial claims to Naraini, Kalinjar, Fatehganj, and Girwan areas — each group insisting on its right to collect traditional community earnings from those regions. As tensions rose, police detained 27 transgenders involved in the altercation under preventive sections for disturbing public peace and presented them before the SDM’s court. Several participants sustained minor injuries during the scuffle.

Later, SDM Amit Shukla reprimanded both groups and released them on personal bonds, warning that any further disruption would invite strict legal action.

History of rivalry
This was not the first confrontation between the two factions. About six months ago, both groups had reportedly clashed at the Superintendent of Police’s office, accusing each other of forced recruitment and illegal operations in Kanpur. That incident, too, had ended with police intervention and one member being sent to jail.

Police urges peaceful resolution
CO Tripathi stated, “All those involved have been sternly warned to settle their disputes within their community through peaceful means. Any future incidents of violence will lead to strict action.”

The bizarre and chaotic incident once again underscores the long-standing internal disputes within the local transgender community and the growing challenge for police to maintain peace even within station premises.