A profound tragedy has shaken Kerala following the death by suicide of Anandu Aji, a 26-year-old software engineer from Kottayam. The incident came to light after a pre-scheduled, detailed note and video were posted on his Instagram account hours after his body was discovered in a lodge in Thiruvananthapuram.
In his final testament, which he urged authorities to treat as a “dying declaration,” Aji alleged that his decision to end his life was a result of years of deep-seated trauma stemming from continuous sexual and physical abuse, which began in his childhood and occurred at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) camps he attended.
The Allegations: Abuser Named
Aji, whose family was long associated with the RSS, wrote that his father made him join the group as a child. He specifically named his childhood abuser as Nidheesh Muralidharan (identified as ‘NM’ in earlier notes), a former neighbour and active RSS member. Aji alleged that the abuse by this individual began when he was as young as three or four years old.
Crucially, Aji also claimed that he was sexually and physically abused by multiple unnamed individuals during various RSS training programs, including Initial Training Camps (ITC) and Officers’ Training Camps (OTC). He wrote that abuse was widespread in these camps and warned others to keep distance from the organization’s members, stating, “There is no other organisation I hate as much as this. Never be friends with RSS persons.”
The trauma, he explained, had led to severe mental health struggles, including a diagnosis of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for which he had been under medication for months.
Political Storm and Calls for Probe
The shocking allegations have triggered a significant political controversy across Kerala and nationally. Opposition parties, including the CPI(M) and Congress, along with their youth wings, have demanded a comprehensive and impartial probe into the allegations.
- Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among other national leaders, publicly called for the RSS leadership to address the claims, noting that Aji stated he was not the only victim and that rampant abuse occurs in the camps.
- A CPI MP has written to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), urging the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine not only the immediate circumstances of Aji’s death but also the potential existence of a “systematic pattern of abuse, intimidation, and institutional shielding of offenders” within the RSS and its affiliated structures.
The RSS, in turn, issued a statement calling the allegations “dubious and baseless” and has filed a complaint demanding a separate investigation to look into the possibility of a conspiracy to defame the organization.
The Kerala Police have registered a case for unnatural death and, based on the suicide note and video (which serves as a dying declaration), have also registered a case against the named accused, Nidheesh Muralidharan, under IPC Section 377 (unnatural sexual offence). The case has been transferred to the Ponkunnam police in Kottayam district, where the alleged offence is said to have taken place. Protests have erupted in Kottayam demanding immediate action and arrests.
