An RSS activist named Anand K. Thampi died by suicide in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram after being denied a BJP ticket for the local body polls. Thampi alleged that he was denied the ticket due to some local leaders associated with the sand-smuggling mafia. He had announced on social media that he would contest as an independent candidate after his name was not included in the BJP's candidate list.

Key Details:

Incident Location: Thampi was found hanging in a shed on his residential premises in Thrikkannapuram.
Allegations: Thampi accused BJP and RSS leaders of being involved in a land-mafia nexus and claimed that his friends began distancing themselves from him after he decided to contest independently.
BJP Response: Local BJP leaders denied that Thampi had approached them seeking a ticket, while BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar said they would examine the incident.
Investigation: Police have launched an investigation and will register a case based on Thampi's relatives' statements.

Reactions:

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called for a swift and thorough probe into the incident, urging both the police and the BJP to address the circumstances leading to Thampi's death.
Education Minister V Sivankutty visited Thampi's house and spoke to his relatives.

IMPORTANT If you or someone you know is struggling, you can talk to a trusted adult or reach out to the resources below:
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
- National Alliance on Mental Illness: (800) 950-6264
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME at 741741