Chennai: Transgender facing murder charge takes poison, held

Chennai: Transgender Swetha, who was hunted by the police in connection with the death of a passenger who allegedly died after kicked by Swetha from a moving train on Saturday near Krishnagiri, attempted suicide by consuming rat poison on Sunday. She was admitted to the Government Hospital in Tirupattur from where Railway police arrested her. She would be taken under custody after her treatment, police sources said.

Earlier on Saturday, Railway police had registered cases of murder and attempt to murder against Swetha after a 32-year-old man died after being kicked by the transgender from a moving train. The incident happened near Samalpatti in Krishnagiri district. The victim, S Kalu Sathyanarayana (32) and his friends - all from Vijayawada - were travelling in a Jamshedpur to Alappuzha (Bokaro) Express train to reach Tirupur.

When the train was nearing Samalpatti railway station near Uthangarai, a group of transgenders including Swetha had allegedly demanded money from the passengers. Sathyanarayana and his friends, who were standing near the footboard, refused to give money and in the argument that ensued Swetha had allegedly kicked Sathyanarayana. In the melee, the man fell from the moving train and died near Samalpatti.

His friend, Karam Veera Babu (20) was injured when he attempted to save his friend. Salem Railway police who were investigating the case registered a case of murder against Swetha and secured her on Sunday from Tirupattur where she lives. Her condition is said to be stable, police sources said.