Bangalore: The popular Malayalam actress who was kidnapped and sexually assaulted last year resigned on Wednesday from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, triggering a chain of exits from the most powerful organisation of film professionals in Kerala.

Three more top actresses followed her out of the AMMA, the guild that had come in for criticism for not safeguarding the interests of women in the industry.

The main reason the AMMA is in the news is because of its decision to re-induct Dileep. The top-notch actor, one of the accused in the case now out on bail, is alleged to have hired a gang of criminals to kidnap and assault the actress.

The four actresses, including the survivor, posted their resignation messages on the Facebook page of the Women in Cinema Collective, a parallel organisation for women professionals that took shape after last year's incident.

The survivor, however, said she was resigning because the AMMA did not intervene when Dileep had specifically targeted her, ensuring that she did not get film offers.

"I am resigning from AMMA. This decision is not because AMMA decided to take back the actor accused of the attack on me. This actor had snatched away opportunities that came my way even before that. This organisation failed to take any action when I reported the matter," she wrote, signing off by using her name.

"When I faced such a horrendous experience, this organisation only tried to protect him. I am resigning since there is no point in continuing as part of this organisation."

Messages of resignations followed soon from Remya Nambeesan, Geetu Mohandas and Rima Kallingal. While Geetu has switched from acting to a successful career as a director, both Remya and Rima are popular actresses.

"This organisation is in need of members who don't ask a single question of the leadership," Geetu wrote in a stinging message.

Rima said it had become difficult for the new generation to work under such a system. "The next generation should have the guts to live with self-respect in their workplace," she said.

The Women in Cinema Collective had objected to the AMMA literally paving the way for the return of Dileep, who was sacked in July last year when the special investigation team probing the case arrested him for hiring the goons.

The six-member gang had waylaid the actress while she was on her way to Kochi after a shoot in Thrissur and assaulted her inside her car before letting her off.

The decision to invite Dileep back was taken at the first general body meeting that was held after actor Mohanlal took over as the guild's president. The move had been interpreted as a brazen attempt to slight the survivor and those supporting her.

Sajitha Madathil, actress and a member of the Collective, told a Malayalam channel the resignations were a collective decision to express solidarity with the survivor who got a raw deal from the AMMA.

The AMMA did not comment. Its general secretary, Edavela Babu, told a channel: "I have nothing to say."

This newspaper could not reach him on his mobile.

Writer and social commentator N.S. Madhavan expressed his anger at the AMMA's move to invite Dileep back.

"Lalettan (a brotherly reference to Mohanlal) must resign. Make Harvey Weinstein AMMA's president," he tweeted, referring to the Hollywood producer accused of sexually exploiting actresses over a thirty-year period.

"Worst #MeToo incident happened not in Hollywood, but in Kerala, when an actor allegedly paid money to a gang to get an actress raped," he said in another tweet.

"The case is on, but male chauvinist pigs of Malayalam actors' guild, AMMA, are shouting 'me too' 'me too' in support of the accused."