Image: A scene from a play (2015) by GrassRooted, Colombo, in which sexual freedom id discussed. (c)s.deshapriya.
A trans woman who was a tireless community advocate was killed in a violent attack in Sri Lanka.
Sanath Kumara, 34, received head injuries after she was beaten over the head with a club on Tuesday. Police said they had found multiple wooden clubs at the scene.
The brutal attack happened in Dambulla in the Matale District about 150km north-east of the capital, Colombo.
Kumara’s body was found in the parking lot at Dambulla Hospital at 5am on September 5.
Earlier that morning at about 3am, someon called Kumara’s sister from her own cell phone. The caller swore at Kumara’s sister and said he had killed Kumara, according to a report in Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror.
Matale District Judicial Medical Officer, BD Vidarathna told BBC Sinhala that his office was still determining the cause of death. But he did notice a significant head injury.
Community advocate
Kumara was a trans woman who had not yet come out.
She worked as a HIV peer educator and helped to raise HIV awarenes among trans communities.
Dambulla Police said they were investigating leads but had not yet found the perpetrators.