Jiwan Gurung, a transgender woman called by her transgender name ‘Junu’, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in her rented room at Lazimpat, Kathmandu, this morning.

Junu, 33, according to her friends and multiple sources was ‘beaten up brutally’ on Friday at an eatery in Lazimpat near her rented room. Her body was sent to the Department of Forensic Medicine at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, for post-mortem.

Junu’s family members are expected to arrive in Kathmandu from Lumle of Kaski district tomorrow.

Junu was also a former employee at Blue Diamond Society Nepal, an organisation working for the welfare of LGBT community.

Junu’s friend and a rights activist Sudeep Gautam said that Junu was thrashed by one Bidesh Karki on Friday night. Gautam said, “She was beaten so badly that her eyes had swollen.”

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Binod Ghimire at Metropolitan Police Circle, Durbar Marg, Junu had withdrawn her complaint against Bidesh after his mother agreed to take her to Bir Hospital for treatment. Junu went back to her room after treatment the same night.

DSP Ghimire said they could not ascertain the truth until they got the post-mortem report.