Gender Reassignment Fallout: Woman Accuses Partner of Rape, Abuse in Bhopal

Bhopal, July 3 (PTI): A young woman from Madhya Pradesh has accused her partner of rape and physical abuse after he allegedly refused to marry her following her gender reassignment surgery. The 25-year-old complainant claims that her partner, who is also 25, insisted on the surgery but later reneged on his promise of marriage.

The two met approximately a decade ago in Narmadapuram and had been in a long-term same-sex relationship. The complainant, residing in Obedullaganj in Raisen district, stated that the accused persuaded her to undergo gender-affirming surgery, but then refused marriage post-surgery.

Following her complaint, Bhopal police registered a ‘Zero FIR’ on Wednesday, which was then transferred to Narmadapuram police, as the accused resides there. A Zero FIR allows a police station to file a report irrespective of the location of the crime.

Brijendra Merskole, in-charge of Gandhinagar police station, confirmed that the case has been filed under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to rape and physical abuse. The complainant also alleged that the accused practices occult rituals and had exploited her before her surgery.

The complainant underwent surgery at an Indore hospital, confirming her gender transformation. According to her statement, a few months after the surgery, the accused began to distance himself and eventually denied the prospect of marriage, prompting her police complaint. —