A few days after the death of transgender RJ Anannyah’s death, her partner was found dead hanging at friend’s house. According to the police the partner of the late RJ was a 36-year-old man from Jagathy village in Thiruvananthapuram. While the cause of such a drastic step is still unknown, police are citing that the death of his partner led him to do so.
Details
Trigger Warning: Suicide, Identity Issues
Anannyah Kumari Alex, the first transwoman RJ in Kerala was found dead earlier this week in her apartment in Kochi. The 28-year-old transpersons’ advocate was found dead hanging inside the bedroom of her apartment and the case has been ruled as a suicide so far.
Following Death of Anannyah, Partner Jiju too Commits Suicide
Police sources were quoted saying-
“Prima facie, it is a case of suspected suicide, but more details will be available only after the autopsy,”
said police sources. And now, just a few days after her alleged suicide, her partner – a 36-year-old-man from a Thiruvananthapuram – has been found dead, hanging at his friend’s house.
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“Jiju was feeling lonely, had shifted to friend’s home”
The partner of Anannyah has been identified as Jiju. According to sources, Jiju was visibly upset after the death of his partner and due to the depression, that followed, Jiju commited suicide. The police was reportedly quoted saying-
“After the death of Anannyah, Jiju had shifted to his friend’s home in Kochi as he was feeling lonely. On Friday afternoon, Jiju was found hanging when the friend returned home,”
police said.
Who Was RJ Anannyah?
A transwoman, Annayah was a well-known radio jockey, anchor and MUA (make-up artist) from Kerala. She was also the first transwoman from Kerala who filed the nomination papers as a Kerala Assembly Elections candidate in 2021.
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First Transgender in Kerala to Contest Elections
Anannyah had submitted her nomination papers and was going to contest the Assembly Elections from the DSJP (Democratic Social Justice Party) from the Malappuram district in 2020. She filed the nomination papers from the Vengara constituency.
Ananya Kumari Alex, a transgender woman, is contesting from Vengara constituency in #Kerala polls
I'm the first-ever transgender candidate for assembly polls here. Want to prove transgender persons can be leaders too. My priorities are safety of women&transgender ppl,says Ananya pic.twitter.com/q3LXpp2VEM
— ANI (@ANI) March 22, 2021
Eventual Withdrawal Due to Death Threats
The 28-year-old radio jockey participated in the Assembly Elections and stood against PK Kunhalikutty and P. Jiji. However, one day before the elections she withdrew the campaign alleging death threats from political leaders from her own party. She further appealed that people not vote for her party after she withdrew her nominations.
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Shocking Turn of Events
On Tuesday this week, Anannyah was found dead hanging at her flat in Kochi. After the post-mortem and COVID-19 tests following her death, it was suspected that she died by committing suicide.
An advocate for marginalized communities, she had also in the past complained of health issues after she went through a sex-reassignment surgery in 2020 and alleged that the doctors committed negligence during her sex-reassignment surgery.
Medical Negligence in Sex-Reassignment Surgery Alleged
She had gone through the surgery at Renai Medicity following which, Anannyah’s family members and friends, and fellow members of the trans community held a protest in front of Renai Medicity, seeking action against the authorities.
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Kerala Authorities Swing into Action
On the other hand, the Renai Medicity hospital dismissed all the allegations and claimed that the team that carried out the sex-reassignment surgery committed no lapses. However, due to the protest, the state’s Health Minister Veena George and the Social Justice Minister R. Bindu swung into action and multiple investigations have been ordered to look into the circumstances that may have led Anannyah to take such an action.
Health Minister Veena Goerge also claimed that a separate committee will be formed to look into the allegations made about the sex-reassignment surgery. The enquiry will be chaired by the Director of health services.