Both of them not only threatened the public but also resorted to obscenities of all sorts to extract money, which was anywhere from Rs 100 to Rs 500.

Encountering regular harassments every Sunday, the locals in the area complained to the eunuch community about the misbehaviour by two of their members.

“There are many people who visit the riverside on Sundays for rituals and these two men demanded money from such people. We received a phone call about the incident and we tried to convince the caller that we do not go to that area at all. But when nothing worked, we decided to go there and catch the duo red-handed,” said a eunuch known to the locals as Kiran masi.

After the two were caught and the truth was out, the locals and the eunuchs beat them up. One of them was identified as Vinay Kumhar. The other fled the scene. “They were trying to make some quick bucks. They were also doing the same thing at the railway station, residential colonies and other places. They took advantage of the people, who meekly submitted to their demands to avoid getting cursed by a eunuch,” said Asha masi, another eunuch.

Kumhar was beaten black and blue before being dragged to the Chhani police station. He was later set free after he pleaded for mercy.