THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayalam film actor Siddique resigned from his position as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) on Sunday, following grave allegations of sexual assault made by Revathy Sampath, a young actress.Siddique communicated his resignation to AMMA president Mohanlal through email, stating, “I am resigning from my post due to the allegations made against me.”Revathy Sampath accused Siddique of sexual assault in 2016, labelling him a hardcore criminal.Recounting her ordeal before TV news channels, she stated, “Siddique initially reached out to me via social media, calling me ‘mole’ (daughter) in his messages. Two years after completing my higher secondary education, he contacted me again. He continued to refer to me as ‘mole’ (daughter). At that time, I was too naive to suspect his intentions. He inquired if I had an interest in acting or films. I was unaware of his predatory nature, as such individuals are often manipulative and deceptive.”“At the age of 21, I attended a local theatre in Thiruvananthapuram for the preview of the Malayalam film “Sukhamairikkatte.” Siddique invited me to a well-known hotel in the city centre to discuss aspects related to the film. I was locked in a room. He abused me physically and told me it was okay if I didn’t allow him to cross the limits. After that, he grabbed and overpowered me, for a moment several things passed through my mind. The mirror in the room is testimony to my traumatic experience.”Will he kill me? Will I survive this attack? Will I be able to escape from here? Will I be able to defend myself? Will I be able to see my parents? All kinds of thoughts came in a flash of a second.”I mustered all my physical strength and mental courage and came out of the room. Before leaving, I told Siddique that I would make the incident public. With sheer arrogance and utter contempt, he told me; “Go and tell. Who is going to believe you? Have you even acted in one film? Does anyone know you?So many people believe in me. So many people admire me. Nobody is going to believe you, he said.Revathy said not only criminal proceedings should be initiated against Siddique, but he should also be banned from the film industry. He is a predator and hardcore criminal. His presence in the industry is a threat to many young artists who want to pursue a career in acting.The actor said she was ready to pursue the case provided the government and agencies like the Women’s Commission gave the guarantee that they would stand with her and give all support.”I have already undergone the trauma for all these years. Now I want to lead my life peacefully and do something meaningful in my life,” she said.
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