Ananthu’s posthumous video reignites outrage, puts RSS under scanner in Kerala

A video recorded by Ananthu Aji, the 26-year-old IT professional from Thiruvananthapuram who recently died by suicide, has reignited public outrage and put the RSS and BJP under renewed scrutiny. The video, which surfaced on Instagram through the platform’s scheduling feature after his death, names Nidheesh Muraleedharan, locally known as Kannan chettan, as his alleged abuser.

Also read | Kerala youth’s suicide note claims years of sexual abuse in RSS camps

Ananthu had earlier referred to this person only as “NM” in his final Instagram note, which went viral soon after he died in a city lodge last week. In that note, he had accused several RSS members of subjecting him to repeated sexual abuse during his childhood and at various organisational camps. The post, which appeared to have been drafted and scheduled before his death, squarely blamed the RSS ecosystem for pushing him into years of trauma and depression.

‘Don’t trust RSS activists’

In the newly surfaced video, a visibly distressed Ananthu reiterates those allegations, calling out the “torture” within the Sangh Parivar ranks. He warns viewers not to trust RSS activists, alleging that their training camps were spaces where “mental, physical, and sexual abuse” were normalised and silenced. He also expresses anguish that he could not even realise that what he had experienced was sexual abuse until recently.

Following the emergence of the earlier note, which he termed his 'death testimonial', the Kerala police have registered a case and begun verifying the contents of both the video and note. Preliminary findings suggest that Nidheesh Muraleedharan, the person named, is indeed an RSS functionary from the locality. Police are reportedly examining Ananthu’s digital trail and interactions to trace the full sequence of events leading to his death.

Political storm in Kerala

The incident has triggered a political storm in Kerala. The DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M), has announced a statewide campaign against what it termed the “sexual atrocities and moral rot” within the RSS, citing Ananthu’s testimony as evidence of systemic abuse.

Also read | Kerala: Ananthu Aji names RSS worker Nudheesh Murali as alleged abuser in video

Meanwhile, the local RSS unit too has demanded a free and fair probe while maintaining that they would cooperate with any lawful investigation.

As protests intensify and social media fills with calls for justice, Ananthu’s “scheduled testimony” — his note and now the video — has become a rallying point for discussions around sexual abuse, political impunity, and the silencing of victims within the Sangh Parivar.