Nellore: 2 pharmacy students held over transgender's death

Nellore: Two B Pharmacy students who caused the death of man in botched sex change operation were arrested by Chinnabazar police in the city on Wednesday. Another person who helped them was also arrested.

Giving details of the arrests, Nellore city DSP Y Harinath Reddy identified the victim as Ballikura Srikant alias Amulya from Prakasasdm district and the accused as pharmacy students Ariboina Mastan Babu of Kaluvoya, Nalagatla Jeeva of Kondapuram in Nellore and G Ashok alias Monalisa of Muralinagar of Visakhapatnam city who helped accused.

Police registered a case a case based on a complaint lodged by Boddu Pallavi from Somarajupalli in Singarayakonda mandal of Prakasam district. According to the DSP, Ballikura Srikant alias Amulyaof Kamepalli under Jarugumilli mandal of Prakasam district wanted to undergo sex change operation to become a woman.

Ashok alias Monalisa a transgender, was a close friend of Srikant. When Srikanth sought advice of Ashok where to have the operation, he recommended names of Mastan Babu and Jeeva, pharmacy students, for the procedure.

Mastan Babu and Jeeva who have no experience or knowledge about the surgery agreed to perform it for money. They rented a room in a hotel in Nellore and on February 24, tried to conduct a surgery. As part of it, they removed the testicles of Amulya. However, due to their lack of knowledge, equipment and unhygienic conditions in the room, Srikant alias Amulya suffered excessive bleeding and succumbed. Both the accused fled the scene after bungling the procedure.

Pallavi, sister of Amulya, lodged a complaint with the Chinnabazar police.

A special team nabbed the three accused on Wednesday and recovered medicines, equipment, and mobile phones from them, said DSP Harinath.