Anannyah Kumari Alex, Kerala’s first transwoman radio jockey, was found hanging in her apartment at Edappally on Tuesday around 6.30 p.m.
The 28-year-old transwoman is suspected to have taken her life while her partner had gone out.
The victim was in the news recently after she alleged medical negligence in the sex reassignment surgery that led to complications. The issue was widely discussed on various social media platforms and mobilisation of resources was underway for a re-surgery.
The person had also created history as the first transgender to contest in the Assembly election when she took on the Indian Union Muslim League stalwart P. K. Kunhalikutty at Vengara in Malappuram as the Democratic Social Justice Party candidate in the Assembly election held earlier this year.
"None who had known her could believe that she took such an extreme step. She talked to me a couple of days ago and she was her usual self," said Sruthi Sithara, a transwoman and a close friend.
They were among the four transpeople to be enlisted as volunteers after being put through an audition in the Kochi edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala held in February. It was the first time transgenders were enlisted in the organisation of the fest.
"This is indeed a show of inclusiveness for which I am grateful but then I was chosen for my abilities and not for my gender. Even in the face of many rejections, I never lost hope and this acceptance at a marquee event like IFFK will hopefully open more doors, which were shut on my face in the past,” Ms. Alex had told The Hindu at that time.
The body has been moved to the Kalamassery Government Medical College. A post mortem will be conducted on Wednesday.
The Kalamassery police have registered a case of unnatural death.
Suicide prevention helpline number: 0484-2540530.