New Delhi (Sputnik) — The Indian Navy has sacked one of its sailors after he underwent a gender reassignment surgery to become a woman. The Indian Navy has held sailor Manish Giri guilty of breaching service rules as he was found to have had the surgery at a hospital in Mumbai during a 20-day leave period. Giri was posted at a naval facility in Visakhapatnam.
"The individual chose to undergo irreversible gender reassignment on his own accord, whilst on leave, wilfully altering his gender status from the one he was recruited for at the time of his induction. He has breached the Recruitment Regulations and eligibility criteria for his employment as a sailor in the Indian Navy," the Navy said in a statement.
The existing service rules and regulations of the Indian Navy do not permit the sailor's continued employment owing to his altered gender status, medical condition and "resultant employability restrictions".
Meanwhile, sailor Manish Giri says that she will explore all legal options. “I am not a criminal. I am just a soldier who served my country for last seven years. I did not make any mistake. Why did they punish me? Just because I have changed my gender! I can perform my duties as efficiently as before,” Manish Giri, now Sabi, told Sputnik.
