Anannyah Kumari, First Transgender to File Nomination in Kerala Assembly Elections, Found Dead

Kerala's first transgender radio jockey and the first from the community to file nomination as a candidate in the recent Kerala Assembly polls, Anannyah Kumari Alex allegedly died by suicide on Tuesday.

Kochi: Kerala’s first transgender radio jockey and the first to contest for the Kerala Assembly polls from her community, Anannyah Kumari Alex was on Tuesday found dead, hanging from the ceiling in her Kochi apartment. Anannyah, 28, was also a celebrity make-up artist and stage show anchor, who had gained popularity for her fearlessness.

“Prima facie it seemed to be a case of suicide,” the police said. According to reports, she was also under financial pressure.

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.

“I’m a victim of gross medical negligence. My private part looks like a piece of meat, it has no resemblance to a vagina. I want to conduct resurgery, I want justice.” she had said in an interview to The Cue.

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, raised allegations against the doctor and demanded justice.

In the Kerala Assembly this year, Anannyah had filed a nomination as a Democratic Social Justice Party (DSJP) candidate 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.

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.