Transwomen stare at closure of shelter as govt. allegedly delays payment of funds

The district collectorate on Monday (November 3, 2025) witnessed high drama when a transwoman, part of a group facing eviction from a government-funded shelter home, threatened to die by suicide before officials intervened and offered temporary relief.

Tense moments prevailed at the collectorate as residents of Jyothis Bhavan Short Stay Home at Kakkanad, run by a group of nuns under the Snehajyothi Charitable Trust, gathered at the district office of the Social Justice department to raise concerns over the move to shut down the facility due to the government’s alleged non-payment of dues.

The residents, eight transwomen including college students, said they were facing uncertainty over food and shelter as the trust wanted them to move out, unwilling to run the shelter home without adequate funds. Sources in the department said the government owes the trust around ₹10 lakh in dues for the past eight months.

“The trust had informed the department of its inability to run the facility with the funds allocated under the memorandum of understanding [MoU] signed in 2021, citing rising expenses over the years. Though it had forwarded a request to revise the MoU and the standard operating procedures to the department after March, no decision has been taken yet,” the sources added.

After the residents raised their complaint with the district office on Monday, officials held discussions with stakeholders, including State representatives, and reached a consensus with the trust to continue running the facility till December 31. “A new expression of interest will be invited in the meantime to identify establishments interested in managing the facility,” the source said. The Snehajyothi Charitable Trust has not yet responded to the developments.

Amid the protest by the group, supported by the Kerala Pradesh Transgenders’ Congress, one of the residents of the shelter home ran to the third floor and threatened to jump. Security guards and other officials intervened in time, calming her down and preventing the attempt. The group also warned that they would remain on the collectorate premises if the authorities failed to find a solution.

(Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help by calling DISHA - 1056, 0471-2552056, and Maithri - 0484-2540530)