By Rajeev Ramachandran
When the body of 26-year-old Ananthu Aji was found hanging inside a room of a tourist home in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday (October 9), his family and the local community were left in deep shock. But what began as a personal loss soon escalated into a political controversy after the release of a scheduled Instagram post on his account after his death, detailing harrowing allegations of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation within the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The note, described by its author as his “death testimonial”, accused multiple RSS members of repeated molestation starting from age three or four, linking the trauma directly to his severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic attacks, and the ultimate decision to end his life.
“I am a survivor of rape and have endured numerous instances of sexual abuse throughout my life. During my childhood, I was repeatedly subjected to sexual abuse by a man. Additionally, I experienced sexual abuse from multiple individuals associated with the RSS, and I am unaware of the full extent of their identities,” read the note.
Screenshots of some of the pages of the suicide note found on Ananthu Aji’s Instagram post.
According to the first information report filed by the police, Ananthu was found lifeless at his room in the tourist home on Thursday, having apparently hanged himself. The authorities were alerted by his cousin’s husband, who lives in Thiruvananthapuram.
The allegations intensify as Ananthu described not just isolated incidents but a pattern of exploitation involving multiple RSS members. He warned against any association with RSS workers, urging, “Never make a friend out of an RSS worker. Whether it’s your father, brother, or even your son, keep them out of your life.”
The police initiated an investigation to ascertain the circumstances of the death, registering it as an unnatural death case. No additional details regarding the scene or forensic findings were, however, provided in the initial report.
This story was originally published in thefederal.com. Read the full story here.
