The shocking suicide of a 26-year-old IT professional from Kottayam, Kerala, has triggered a bitter political battle, after the man posted on Instagram alleging sexual abuse at a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) shakha. He was found dead in Thiruvananthapuram on October 9, prompting urgent demands for an impartial investigation from all sides.

The RSS, seeking to defend its image, demanded a thorough inquiry into the tragedy. K B Sreekumar, RSS Dakshina Keralam Saha Prantha Karyavah, described the loss of “one of our Swayamsevaks” as “sad and unfortunate,” calling the online allegations “dubious and baseless.” The Sangh also filed a petition with Kottayam police, alleging a deliberate effort to malign the organization and framing the incident as part of a broader conspiracy.

Political parties reacted swiftly, escalating the controversy. The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the CPI(M) youth wing, demanded a probe, citing the alleged mental trauma caused by sexual abuse. DYFI state general secretary V K Sanooj warned, “His death is a warning to others about what’s happening in RSS shakhas.”

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra echoed the concerns, asserting on social media that the victim “was not the only one” and highlighting the risk to “lakhs of young children and teenagers attending these camps across India.”

The BJP, while calling for a “free and fair” investigation, accused the Congress of exploiting the tragedy for political gains. “This incident is very unfortunate and painful. But what is more painful is the dastardly politics which the Congress is trying to play to malign the image of the RSS,” said BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi.

Thiruvananthapuram police have registered the case as a natural death, but the probe into the allegations and the circumstances of the young man’s death continues, with the nation watching closely as the political storm intensifies.