Kerala's first transgender poll nominee ends life. Sex-reassignment op to blame?
Anannyah Kumari Alex, who was also the first from her community to become a radio jockey, was found hanging in her flat in Kochi.
Weeks after complaining about a sex-reassignment surgery gone wrong, the first transgender candidate from Kerala to file nomination in the recently held Assembly election, Anannyah Kumari Alex, allegedly killed herself on Tuesday. Alex, who was also the first from her community to become a radio jockey, was found hanging in her flat in Kochi.
Health Minister Veena George ordered a probe into the death. “A transgender organisation had also given complaint regarding this. An expert committee will be formed to study issues related with sex reassignment surgery,” George was quoted as saying by The News Minute.
Alex had once said if transgenders join the mainstream, then definitely there will be colourful changes in society. She was reportedly working as a make-up artist and a freelance fashion stylist.
Alex had recently raised allegations of medical negligence against a doctor and a private hospital and sought justice on the matter. She said she was facing serious health issues ever since she underwent a sex-reassignment surgery she underwent in June last year. She alleged that she was unable to work due to severe physical pain even after a year of the surgery.
“I’m a victim of gross medical negligence. My private part looks like a piece of meat, it has no resemblance to a vagina. I want to conduct a resurgery, I want justice,” she was quoted as saying in an article by The News Minute.
She said she had been experiencing severe pain in the vaginal area and could not bear to even stand for a long time or sit. “Even when I stand for a longer time, sneeze, laugh or even brush my teeth, I have severe discomforts. I have also been experiencing breathing difficulties,” she said.
Earlier, Alex was in the news after she filed her nomination as an Assembly election candidate in the Vengara constituency of Malappuram district. She had set to contest against Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader PK Kunjalikutty as a Democratic Social Justice Party (DSJP) nominee. However, she suspended her campaign a day before polling, alleging that she was being harassed and received death threats from leaders of her own party. As she could not withdraw her nomination at the time, she urged voters to not extend their support to the DSJP.
(With agency inputs)
