First transgender candidate to file nomination as candidate in Kerala polls dies by suicide

Kochi (Kerala) [India], July 21 : Kerala's first transgender radio jockey and the first from the community to file nomination as a candidate in the recent State Assembly polls, Anannyah Kumari Alex allegedly died by suicide on Tuesday. She was found hanging in her flat in Kochi.
According to the police, "prima facie it seemed to be a case of suicide".
A few weeks ago, Anannyah had raised concerns that she was facing serious health issues following a sex-reassignment surgery she underwent in June last year. She made allegations against a doctor and a private hospital on this.
Complaining that even after a year of the surgery, she was unable to work due to severe physical pain, Anannyah termed it a case of medical negligence and demanded justice.
She had filed a nomination to contest the Kerala Assembly polls this year against Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader PK Kunjalikutty in the Vengara constituency at Malappuram district. She was the first transgender in Kerala to do so.
She filed her nomination as a Democratic Social Justice Party (DSJP) candidate. But later, she suspended her election campaign a day before polling, alleging that she was being harassed and receiving death threats from leaders of her own party.
With the last day for withdrawal of nominations being over by then, she had publicly issued an appeal asking people not to vote for the DSJP.