Kerala Health Minister Orders Probe Into Death Of Anannyah Kumari Alex

Probe into Anannyah Kumari death: Veena George, Kerala Health Minister, on Wednesday ordered a probe into the death of Anannyah Kumari Alex, known as the first transwoman candidate from her community to file nomination papers for the Kerala Assembly elections this year. In a statement, the Health Minister said that the Kalamassery police in Ernakulam district, who have registered a case on unnatural death in the incident, have already started an investigation into Alex's death.

Geaorge also mentioned that she has asked the Director of Health Department to conduct an investigation. A transgender rights organisation had also given complaint regarding the same, George said.

Even as the Ernakulam police of #Kerala have already begun a probe into the death of Ananyah Kumari Alex, the first transwoman gender radio jockey, State Health Minister Veena George on Wednesday asked Director Health Service (DHS) to also look into it. pic.twitter.com/2SAGWcSR2O

— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) July 21, 2021

Alex, who was also Kerala’s first transgender radio jockey, was found dead in her apartment in Kochi on Tuesday evening, just a few days after she came out in the media alleging medical negligence she faced in her sex reassignment surgery at a Kochi private hospital. The transgender activist was a native of Kollam Peruman. She had recently claimed that she was suffering from serious health issues following her gender reassignment surgery in 2020. According to the police, she is suspected to have died by suicide. More on Anannyah here.

In light of the negligence claims made by Alex, George has also proposed formation of a expert panel to study the gender reassignment surgery.

Who was Anannyah Kumari Alex?

Alex was the first transgender candidate from Kerala who contested in the state assembly polls that took place in April this year. However, she later withdrew her nomination a day before the polling after being allegedly mentally tortured and receiving death threats from leaders of the very party which nominated her. Apart from being a radio jockey, she is known to have worked as a make-up artist and a freelance fashion stylist.

Recently, in an interview with The Cue, she revealed the extreme pain she had been experiencing in the vaginal area post-surgery, claiming that she could not even stand for a long time or sit, due to the same. She went on to vent about the severe discomforts in the vaginal area and how she had also been experiencing breathing difficulties. "I had wished for a sex reassignment surgery that will give me a vagina like a woman’s but my private part looks as if it has been cut ruthlessly with a knife," she had said adding that it cannot be called a vagina. The surgery, Alex had cleared, should be conducted very neatly and cleanly in India and elsewhere,. But in her case, she became a victim of "gross medical negligence" Alex added.

Feature Image Credit: Indian Express

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