Filmmaker Ali Akbar was 'sexually abused in Kerala madrasa', says nobody speaks out of fear

Thiruvananthapuram: Days after a Kerala-based journalist spoke about the sexual exploitation of her classmates in a madrasa, Malayalam film director Ali Akbar on Monday claimed that he too was sexually abused by an ustad (teacher) during his younger days.

Akbar further revealed that he was sexually abused by his ustad as he visited a madrasa during his youth.

The filmmaker maintained that the incidents of sexual exploitation happen a lot in Kerala madrasas, but no one would speak against them because of their fear of religion.

Akbar, while making the sensational claim, alleged that the religious leaders would kill people who dared to speak about such instances in public.

He further said that no action would be taken against the culprits as they are a vote bank.

While speaking out his heart on the issue, Akbar said there is so much of agitation on the beef row, but there's not a single strike on cases related to sexual harassment in madrassas.

Akbar's sensational statements came days after VP Rajeena, a Kozhikode-based senior journalist associated with a prominent Malayalam newspaper, claimed to have witnessed the alleged immoral conduct of madrasa instructors.

The journalist came under a fierce attack on social media and even her profile was deactivated by Facebook.