Kerala Police have officially recorded the statement of the family of Anandu Aji, a 26-year-old Kottayam resident whose recent death, initially believed to be a suicide, has plunged the region into political controversy. The investigation took a dramatic turn after Aji’s Instagram account revealed a ‘suicide note’ alleging sexual exploitation by a purported Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader, identified only as ‘N.M.’
Anandu Aji was discovered deceased in a Thampanoor hotel room, prompting local police to register a case of unnatural death.
The case escalated rapidly, moving beyond a simple unnatural death inquiry, as both the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) publicly called for justice. These influential organizations urged the police to swiftly identify and prosecute anyone involved in abetting the young man’s tragic suicide.
Initially, the absence of a formal complaint from Aji’s family presented a challenge to launching an abetment investigation.
P. Jiju Kumar, Circle Inspector of Thampanoor, confirmed that a specialized team, including women officers, visited Aji’s family at their home to record their statement.
He stated, “Investigators have now formally taken the family’s statement, and we have concrete leads. However, due to the sensitive nature of this ongoing inquiry, I am unable to disclose further details at this time.”
DYFI Demands Full Criminal Inquiry
Concurrently, the Ponkunnam police in Kottayam announced they are actively reviewing the DYFI’s formal petition for a comprehensive criminal investigation into Anandu Aji’s death.
The petition has been directed to the Poonkulam Station House Officer with instructions to verify the authenticity of the alleged suicide note. The directive also mandates a thorough examination for prima facie evidence of abetment to suicide, sexual exploitation, and illegal detention, explicitly focusing on any violations of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Authorities are particularly scrutinizing whether the case involves breaches of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, given Aji’s allegations of sexual exploitation dating back to when he was 14 years old.
In a recent Facebook post, DYFI State Secretary V.K. Sanoj disclosed that Anandu Aji, a Kottayam resident, had been an active member of the RSS since he was 14.
Sanoj further claimed that Aji’s suicide note directly implicated the RSS leadership in Kottayam.
In response, K.B. Sreekumar, RSS Saha Prantha Karyavah (South Kerala), filed a complaint with the Kottayam District Police, urging a comprehensive inquiry. He described the death as “sad and unfortunate,” highlighting that Anandu Aji came from a family with deep roots in the ‘RSS karyakarthas’ (workers).
Sreekumar asserted that an independent inquiry would unveil the true circumstances of the death and “conclusively establish the innocence of the RSS in this regrettable incident.”