Beed residents crowd-fund for constable’s sex-change surgery

Residents of Beed have come together to crowd fund for Beed constable Lalita Salve’s sex reassignment surgery (SRS).  

According to Salve’s relatives, they are yet to receive the medical test report from the hospital but the residents of Beed have already started pouring help for her.

In order to reduce her financial burden for the SRS operation she is aiming to undergo, the community members, relatives, neighbors, and local political workers have came forward to help her financially.

Arjun Ujgire, uncle of Salve, said, “We don’t know what will be the cost of the surgery but as per our knowledge it will be in lakhs of rupees.  Approximately Rs 40,000-50,000 cash has been crowd-funded so far without the family asking for any financial help from anybody.”

While Salve underwent medical test on Monday, the medical reports were submitted to the dean of JJ Hospital on Tuesday which will later be forwarded to the state’s home department. Doctors at JJ Hospital opine that she should undergo a corrective surgery.

Salve’s ultrasound revealed absence of ovaries, fallopian tube, breasts and mammary glands. Dr Ashok Anand, head of Gynecology Department at JJ Hospital, said, “She had undergone a test earlier in 2016. Genetically she was a male but she was behaving like a female. If she wants to be a male, there is no harm in it.”

“We are happy to see the support from Beed residents. The operation will be done in Mumbai and preferably at the state government’s JJ Hospital,” said Salve’s uncle.