'Missing' transgender candidate surfaces in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: A 32-year-old transgender-activist Chandramukhi M, who is contesting the December 7 Telangana Assembly elections, appeared before the police here after she reportedly went missing on Tuesday, police said Thursday.

Chandramukhi M, who is contesting on a CPI(M)-led Bahujan Left Front or BLF ticket from Goshamahal constituency in the city, allegedly went missing from her house and a 'case of missing person' was registered, they said. Late Wednesday night, she appeared before police, but did not say where she had gone, assistant commissioner of police K Srinivasa Rao told PTI. 

Chandramukhi also told police that she was safe, the official said. After she reportedly went missing, Chandramukhi's friends from the transgender community lodged a complaint with the police, saying she was feared kidnapped and her mother was in a state of despair. As an activist with 'Telangana Hijra Intersex Transgender Samiti' Chandramukhi had protested against the alleged atrocities on the transgender community. Chandramukhi's decision to contest the polls was to uplift her community, her supporters have said.

"We fear for her safety and condemn the lack of protection for transgender candidates and women, which prevents them from joining politics," they said.