A newly surfaced video, scheduled for release by a 26-year-old man before his suicide, has reignited a controversial case in Kerala, with the victim reiterating detailed allegations of historical sexual abuse by individuals linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The development has intensified pressure on police, who are facing accusations of a reluctant investigation.
The youth, identified as Ananthu Aji, an IT engineer from Thampalakad in Kottayam, was found dead in a city-based hotel on October 9. Prior to his death, he had scheduled a post on Instagram alleging he was sexually abused as a minor.
In this fresh video, Ananthu explicitly names a person he alleges abused him. He states that an individual named Nidheesh Muraleedharan subjected him to continuous sexual abuse from the age of four. He claims this alleged abuse was a direct cause of his developing severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and depression, for which he was prescribed seven different medicines.
This new testimony, which could serve as a dying declaration, emerges at a critical juncture. Critics, including the Congress party and its student wing, the Kerala Students Union (KSU), have alleged that the police investigation has been ineffective. The KSU formally lodged a complaint with the state police chief on Wednesday, questioning the probe's rigour.
According to a report from The New Indian Express, the police have appeared hesitant to incorporate more serious charges, such as abetment to suicide. The force sought legal opinion on Wednesday on how to proceed amid growing public criticism that it was being soft on the individuals named by Ananthu. In his initial social media post, he had referred to the perpetrator using the initials 'NM'.
In a concurrent investigative step, the Thampanoor police, who are probing the suicide, have registered a case and recorded the statement of the doctor who treated Ananthu for depression. Investigators contacted the Ernakulam-based practitioner after speaking with the deceased's family members. The police had initially registered a case for unnatural death.
The emergence of this second video, with its specific allegations and harrowing account of lasting psychological trauma, has placed the police's handling of the sensitive case under a microscope, raising urgent questions about the pursuit of justice.
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