Manish Kumar Giri, who has since changed her name to Sabi, vowed that she would fight for justice. (Source: Instagram/sabina.jee.7) Manish Kumar Giri, who has since changed her name to Sabi, vowed that she would fight for justice. (Source: Instagram/sabina.jee.7)

After being relieved from service for undergoing a sex change surgery, an Indian Navy sailor on Tuesday said she would approach the Supreme Court against the decision and added that she has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.

Manish Kumar Giri, who has since changed her name to Sabi, vowed that she would fight for justice. “I remain the same old person with same efficiency. How can they discharge me … just because I underwent a sex change surgery?” she asked. “I will move the Supreme Court, if required, to fight for my right,” Sabi said.

On Monday, the Indian Navy stated that Giri had been discharged under the clause “Service No Longer Required” under the force’s regulations. “The individual chose to undergo irreversible gender re-assignment on his own accord, whilst on leave willfully altering his gender status from the one he was recruited for at the time of his induction,” it had said.

Having served earlier with the marine engineering wing at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam, Sabi had moved to the administrative wing after sex reassignment surgery.

The sacked sailor underwent the surgery in August last year at a hospital in Mumbai while on leave. “I used to work on the ship. After the surgery, I was forced to stay away from the ship and work from the base. It is sad and worrying that I was found unfit to be a sailor just because of sex change,” she lamented.

Sabi also accused Navy authorities of trying to prove her “mentally unfit”. “They mentally harassed me and kept me in a psychiatric ward for six months. They tried to prove I am mentally unfit but they failed,” she claimed. She also alleged that she sought help from the naval doctors after being diagnosed with gender identity disorder, but was turned away. This forced her to consult civil doctors in Visakhapatnam, she added.

With PTI inputs

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.

© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd