Telangana's transgender candidate remains untraced

HYDERABAD: Transgender candidate M Chandramukhi, contesting the Telangana Assembly elections from a constituency in Hyderabad, remained untraced on Wednesday even as the Hyderabad High Court directed the police to produce her in the court on Thursday.

The court passed orders on a habeas corpus petitioned filed by Chandramukhi's mother.

Chandramukhi, who is contesting the election from Goshamahal as a candidate of Bahujan Left Front, went missing on Tuesday. A missing case was registered at Banjara Hills police station on a complaint by her mother.

Chandramukhi, the only transwoman in Telangana to contest the December 7 elections, went missing early on Tuesday from her house in Jawaharnagar here. According to her supporters, two persons had come to meet. Her mobile phone was switched off. They claimed she was abducted.

However, police said on Wednesday after examining the CCTV footage that she left the house on her own and was seen walking alone. A police official said she had masked her face to hide the identity.

Police have formed 10 teams to trace the missing candidate. Few teams were also deputed to Anantapur and other districts in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Bahujan Left Front leaders and transgender activists have alleged that people who were opposed to a transgender contesting the election were behind her disappearance.

Chandramukhi is contesting from Goshamahal against BJP legislator Raja Singh and Congress party's Mukesh Goud.