KOCHI: Amid allegations of medical negligence, the autopsy of transwoman and activist Ananya Kumari Alex, 28, was conducted by a two-member expert medical team at the Government Medical College, Kalamassery on Thursday. The autopsy, which started around 10.05am, lasted till 12.15pm. The body was then handed over to the members of her community, and was later kept at the house of a community member at Aluva, before being taken to her native Perumon in Kollam.
Kalamassery police, who are investigating the case, said they are likely to receive the post-mortem report by Friday. The police have registered a case of unnatural death.Though the post-mortem was scheduled to be held on Wednesday, it was postponed after Ananya’s father and a group of trans rights activists submitted a petition before the Kalamassery police, demanding that the autopsy be conducted only by a team of expert doctors. The activists lodged another petition at the Palarivattom police station demanding that Renai Medicity be stopped from carrying out sex reassignment surgeries.
Meanwhile, in yet another development in the case, the State Human Rights Commission on Thursday directed that a detailed inquiry be held into the unnatural death. Commission chairman Antony Dominic has sought a report based on a detailed investigation in this regard within four weeks from the city police commissioner and the social justice director. The action came following a petition filed by activist and journalist Yusuf Ansari.
“Ananya is not the first victim of such medical negligence. Many members of the transgender community are living in unbearable pain after undergoing sex reassignment surgery. The government should come out with clear guidelines regarding this,” said Yusuf Ansari.
Ananya, the first transgender radio jockey in Kerala, was found dead at an apartment near Edappally on Tuesday evening. Having undergone a sex reassignment surgery at Renai Medicity in June last year, she had recently come out against the hospital and the doctor alleging that she was in terrible pain following the surgery and was unable to carry out even routine jobs. She had blamed the doctor for the botched surgery.
YOUTH COMMISSION REGISTERS SUO MOTU CASE
Kochi: The Kerala State Youth Commission on Thursday registered a case suo motu in connection with the death of transgender activist Ananya Kumari Alex. The Youth Commission has sought a comprehensive report on this matter immediately from Kochi City Police Commissioner. Chintha Jerome, chairperson of the commission, said that there were allegations that some private hospitals are exploiting people in the name of sex reassignment surgery and this should be examined. “Those who were behind the death of Ananya should be brought before the law after initiating a probe,” she added.