Telangana assembly elections 2018: Transgender candidate who went missing appears before police

Chandramukhi M, who is contesting on a CPI(M)-led Bahujan Left Front ticket from Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad, allegedly went missing from her house and a ‘case of missing person’ was registered.

A 32-year-old transgender activist who is contesting the December 7 Telangana assembly elections appeared before police in Hyderabad after she reportedly went missing on Tuesday, police said on Thursday.

Chandramukhi reportedly told police that she was safe.

Chandramukhi M, who is contesting on a CPI(M)-led Bahujan Left Front ticket from Goshamahal constituency in the city, allegedly went missing from her house and a ‘case of missing person’ was registered, they said.

Late on Wednesday night, she appeared before police, but did not say where she had gone, assistant commissioner of police K Srinivasa Rao told PTI. Chandramukhi also told police that she was safe, the official said.

After she reportedly went missing, Chandramukhi’s friends from the transgender community lodged a complaint with police, saying they feared she was kidnapped and her mother was in a state of despair.

As an activist with the ‘Telangana Hijra Intersex Transgender Samiti’, Chandramukhi had protested against the alleged atrocities on the transgender community.

Chandramukhi’s decision to contest the polls was to uplift her community, her supporters said.

“We fear for her safety and condemn the lack of protection for transgender candidates and women, which prevents them from joining politics,” they said.

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