A large number of transgenders from several districts in the State staged a dharna in front of the Kancharapalem police station, in Visakhapatnam, on Wednesday demanding action against president of the Hijra (Transgender) Association Surada Yellaji. Raising slogans against Yellaji, they alleged that he had been using them for various works and making money from it.
The protesters alleged that Yellaji and his wife had earned lots of money, gold and other properties, through their (transgenders) hard work.
They accused the association leader of resorting to land grabbing, threatening people and other criminal activities.
Whoever goes against him, he gets rid of them by claiming that they died due to HIV/AIDS or some health disorders. This is what happened in the case of Anusha, who was reportedly murdered in September 2015 by him, the transgenders alleged during the protest.
Sruthi alias Anu alias Anusha, a transgender, died under mysterious circumstances in 2015 and it was alleged that Surada Yellaji had killed her. He was arrested in 2017 on charges of murdering Anusha. According to sources, there had been a rivalry between two groups within the association.
In response, Yellaji's wife and supporters approached the Kancharapalem police, complaining against the other members, alleging that they had been hatching a plan to eliminate Yellaji.
When the blame game was on, a group of unidentified persons allegedly attacked Yellaji with knives, in the early hours of Wednesday, near Visakhapatnam railway station. An injured Yellaji was shifted to King George Hospital (KGH).