Kerala IT professional’s laptop video alleges childhood sexual abuse at RSS shakha.
Posthumous claims suggest ongoing harassment at RSS, leaving him depressed.
RSS denies allegations; Congress, CPI(M), and BJP demand impartial probe.
A video recovered from the laptop of a Kerala IT professional who died by suicide last week reportedly identifies a person he alleged sexually abused him during his childhood, Indian Express reported. The video, which came to light nearly a week after his death, is said to serve as his suicide note.
In the video, the techie stated he was sexually abused from the age of three and claimed that a person, who now leads a married life, was the abuser. He added that the abuse left him with mental health issues and that, as a boy, he was afraid of speaking out as there was no evidence of the exploitation he faced.
The techie had left his laptop with a piece of paper containing the password and instructions for his family to open it. His family recovered the video upon following these instructions and handed it over to the police, Indian Express reported.
Prior to his death in Thiruvananthapuram last Thursday, he had scheduled an Instagram post that appeared after his passing, alleging sexual abuse during his time at an RSS shakha. He claimed that the abuse had left him depressed and suggested harassment is still occurring at RSS shakhas.
The RSS has denied the allegations and called for an impartial probe. “The Instagram post contains some dubious and baseless allegations against the Sangh,” RSS Dakshina Keralam Saha Prantha Karyavah K B Sreekumar said. He added that the organisation suspects a deliberate attempt to malign its image.
Political reactions have followed. The Congress and Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) criticised the RSS over the allegations. The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPI(M), demanded a probe into the suicide, with state general secretary V K Sanooj saying, “We have been repeatedly talking about what’s happening in RSS shakhas. Many people had joined RSS… His death is a warning to such persons,” Indian Express reported.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stated, “He clearly stated that he was not the only victim and rampant sexual abuse is taking place in RSS camps. If true, then this is horrifying. Lakhs of young children and teenagers attend these camps all over India,” Indian Express reported.
The BJP called for a “free and fair” investigation but accused the Congress of playing “dastardly politics” over the incident to malign the RSS.
Police have registered a case of unnatural death and are investigating in both Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam district, where the techie was from. Indian Express reported that the probe is ongoing and the postmortem report is awaited.
(With inputs from The Indian Express)
