More Trouble for Kerala MLA: Trans Woman Accuses Rahul Mamkootathil of Rape Threats

The crisis engulfing Kerala Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil deepened dramatically on Friday as a trans woman came forward with shocking allegations, accusing him of sexual harassment and claiming he sent her messages expressing a desire to rape her. The new accusation comes just a day after Mamkootathil resigned as the State Youth Congress President following similar harassment claims from two other women.

The trans woman, Avanthika, made the explosive claim that the Palakkad MLA’s messages were explicit and disturbing. “I think he is sexually frustrated because he said he wants to rape me. He said we can go to Bengaluru or Hyderabad and do it,” she stated. Avanthika explained that she first met Mamkootathil during an election debate, and what began as a normal friendship soon turned into a “disgusting experience” due to his messages on social media.

This latest allegation compounds the political and personal crisis for Mamkootathil. On Thursday, he stepped down from his Youth Congress post after actor Rini Ann George alleged that a “youth leader” had sent her offensive messages and invited her to a hotel. While she didn’t name him, political rivals quickly identified Mamkootathil, leading to protests. Soon after, writer Honey Bhaskaran explicitly named him in a social media post, alleging he had sent her repeated unwanted messages and then misrepresented their interactions to others.

In his resignation statement, Mamkootathil had maintained his innocence, claiming he was stepping down to prevent the controversy from becoming a distraction for the party ahead of upcoming elections. However, the fresh and more severe allegations have intensified calls for stronger action. Reacting to the latest developments, Kerala Minister R. Bindu said it was now imperative that he resign as an MLA.

“Many women have raised serious allegations against the young MLA Rahul Mamkootathil. It is urgent that he should resign as MLA,” she stated. “He has resigned from the post of Youth Congress. It is important that he steps down from the MLA post to safeguard society.”