Maharashtra Cop Granted Leave for Sex Reassignment Surgery

Lalita Salve (29) a cop currently serving Maharashtra's Beed district, has been granted a rare permission, to undergo a sex change surgery, on Tuesday. Salve, got admitted to St George Hospital for the reassignment surgery.

Salve was born in a family with limited means, her parents worked as labourers. Everything was normal until one day when she was 14, a local doctor operated on her to remove what was believed to be a cyst.  But she experienced a similar situation again in 2014, when another doctor declared not a cyst but identified it as underdeveloped testicles.

“I have lived as a woman for 29 years. I will finally get free from this state now. I am looking forward to my new life,” she added, Mumbai Mirror reported. Back in 2016, Salve was diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

She continued seeking an unanswered question that had troubled her for years: “Who am I?” It all led to this operation – taking back a true identity.

But Salve, who joined the Maharashtra Police in June 2010, had made headlines earlier when sought permission for a month-long leave to undergo SRS in September 2017 but her plea was denied. Now Salve has finally been granted the time off. The Maharashtra home department gave a nod after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the department to treat her case positively.

“Tears rolled down my eyes when I got the letter in my hand. I first thanked god, then called my parents to tell them the good news. My colleagues at the police station were also happy for me. The wait was killing me,” -Salve

However, the real challenge is now when the constable to undergo the surgery in the state-run St. George Hospital in Mumbai most likely on Friday. Doctors have taken up the rare challenge but to change her gender they say it would take another six months to complete a series of surgeries for sex reassignment.

READ: Transgender People To Get Exclusive Clinics In Kerala Med Colleges

And what more, she now has the permission from Beed superintendent of police to continue as a cop after sex reassignment surgery. We hope things go well with Salve, who wants to be called Lalit!

Feature Image Credit: India Times

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