A transgender person was found dead under suspicious circumstances near Aluva town hall in Ernakulam district on Wednesday. The deceased has been identified as Gauri from Tamil Nadu. Her body was found in the bushes near St Xavier’s college.

A local who passed by the place had informed the police on seeing the body. Police say there is a mark on the neck, that’s usually caused by hanging. An asbestos sheet was placed on the top of the body.

“No more details are available, this person was frequently found in this area. It looks like murder, but it can’t be confirmed,” a police officer from Aluva said.

Police said the body would be shifted to the hospital for post-mortem following the inquest.

In 2012, Anil Sadanandan alias Sweet Maria, a transgender activist was found brutally murdered in Kollam.  She was found stabbed in her stomach, her neck slit and chilli powder sprinkled all over her body.

In November 2016, another transgender woman Tara (28) died in a government hospital in Chennai, after she was found with grievous burn injuries outside the Pondy Bazaar Police Station Her friends had alleged brutal police torture for her death.