Maharashtra: Constable who underwent sex change surgery ties the knot
Police constable Lalit Salve, who underwent sex-change surgery and came to be treated as a male one-and-a-half years ago, tied the knot with a woman on Sunday. Salve, whose journey from Lalita to Lalit was full of ups and down and legal battle, underwent the first stage of sex reassignment surgery (SRS) at the state-run St George's Hospital in Mumbai in May 2018.
After the second and third stage operation in following months, Salve (30), a resident of Rajegaon village of Majalgaon tehsil of Beed district, finally acquired a new identity and name - Lalit.
Post the surgery, Salve started getting benefits granted to a male constable in Maharashtra's police force.
Salve got married with a woman in adjoining Aurangabad city on Sunday at a small function.
"I got a rebirth after three-stage sex-change surgery. I have started a new life after my marriage and will now live happily. My family members and relatives are happy with my marriage," said Salve, posted as a constable at the Majalgaon city police station.
Born in June 1988 as Lalita Kumari Salve, she noticed changes in her body about four years ago and underwent medical tests, which confirmed the presence of Y chromosome in her body, according to her petition filed in the Bombay High Court.
While men have X and Y sex chromosomes, women have two X chromosomes.
Salve, after joining the police force, had approached the state police department to allow leave to undergo the sex-change surgery.
The department had then turned down her plea as the eligibility criteria for men and women constables are different, including height and weight.
Salve had then moved the HC seeking a direction to the DGP to grant leave to undergo the surgery. The constable had sought leave for a month to undergo the sex reassignment surgery, but the request was refused by the Beed police authorities, following which she approached the HC.
However, the HC had directed Salve to approach the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal since it was a service matter. Salve was subsequently granted leave by the home department to undergo sex-change surgery.
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