Investigative officers tell TNM that Sangeetha’s body was found in a plastic water can, wrapped in a blanket.
In a major shock to Coimbatore residents on Wednesday, local police recovered the body of the District Transgender Association president, Sangeetha, from her residence. Investigating officers tell TNM that the body was found inside a plastic water can, wrapped in a blanket.
According to members of the association he led, Sangeetha had not been contacted since Sunday. Concerned for her, some members visited her residence in the Sai Baba colony on Wednesday morning to see how she was doing. By then neighbors had reportedly informed the local police about a foul odor emanating from Sangeetha’s residence.
“When we got there, we found her dead in a plastic water can. They had wrapped her in a blanket,” explains an investigating officer. “We found a wound to the neck but the weapon used is not confirmed. The body has been sent to the government hospital for an autopsy and we are investigating further to understand who could be behind this,” he adds.
Sangeetha was a renowned activist and entrepreneur in Coimbatore and had recently started a new company called Trans Kitchen in RS Puram. The restaurant that opened in September was entirely run by trans people. He had opened it primarily to provide work for members of his community who had become unemployed due to the pandemic. Sangeetha had fought many battles to make sure her business was up and running. Although he started a catering business in 2014, he has talked many times about how people don’t rent places. During the confinement, since most of the restaurants were closed, he put in place the 32-seater kitchen to be beneficial to the people of the community and others.
“Our leader has been killed by unidentified assailants. We have come here together to see what happened and the police are still investigating the matter. She had started so many trans welfare schemes and even opened a kitchen for us. She worked tirelessly for provide job opportunities for trans people, “said a trans woman who had come to Sangeetha’s home. “The last time we saw her was on Sunday. We came to see how she was because we could not locate her in recent days. She had no enmity with anyone and she behaved affectionately with everyone,” he added.
Grace Banu, a trans rights activist, demanded that the government and police immediately find those responsible for the murder and take the initiative in the case.
“We are already facing so much pain in this society. It is unbearable that she (Sangeetha) had such a gruesome death. The police have to make sure the culprits are punished. We do not yet know the reason, but one person has been brutally Murdered. The Tamil Nadu government must take the initiative and act legally in this matter. We condemn those behind this crime. It is heartbreaking, “he said in a video posted on Facebook.
.
