From Lalita to Lalit, Maharashtra cop discharged after first sex-change surgery

Salve had sought leave for a month to undergo the sex reassignment surgery, but the request was refused by Beed police authorities, following which she approached the High Court. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

Born in June 1988, Salve had told the Bombay High Court in a petition that he had noticed changes in his body about four years ago and underwent medical tests, which confirmed the presence of Y chromosome in his body.

While men have X and Y sex chromosomes, women have two X chromosomes. Doctors had said he had gender dysphoria and advised him to undergo a sex reassignment surgery.

Salve will get benefits granted to a male constable after joining duty, a police official said. But, the constable will have to bear expenses of the sex-change operation, he said. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

Salve had earlier approached the state police department to grant him leave to undergo the sex-change surgery. The department had turned down his plea as the eligibility criteria for men and women constables was different, including height and weight requirements. In November 2017, he had moved the Bombay High Court seeking that directions be issued to the state police to grant him leave.

Salve had also consulted doctors at the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai for the sex reassignment surgery. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

However, the high court had directed him to approach the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal since it was a service matter.

Salve received a letter from the state home department on June 10, allowing him to go on leave to undergo the surgery, following which he got himself admitted to St George’s Hospital on May 25.

Lalita Salve now Lalit Salve, of Maharashtra police at St George’s Hospital with medical superintendent after gender reassignment surgery to complete the discharge formalities. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

(With inputs from PTI)