Malayalam novelist S Hareesh on Saturday decided not to publish the remaining parts of his latest novel Meesha – meaning moustache – following threats from followers of Hindutva organisations.

The novel, which is set in the background of Kerala’s social life nearly 50 years ago, was being published serially in Malayalam weekly Mathrubhumi. Only three chapters have been published so far. The writer and his family members have allegedly been abused on social media ever since the some organisations opposed the novel.

“I have decided to withdraw my novel because of the threats and attacks against me and my family,” Hareesh told the Mathrubhumi News television channel. “I am so weak to take on the people who rule the country. I worked on the novel for five long years.”

Some Hindutva groups that have accused the novelist of tarnishing the image of Hindu women held protest marches on Saturday. The groups have reportedly taken offence at a character’s sarcastic comments about the ban on women’s entry in temples during menstruation.

Kamalram Sajeev, an assistant editor at Mathrubhumi, called it the “darkest day in Kerala’s history”. “Lightless days to follow,” he tweeted.

Sajeev told Outlook that the novel “is an artistic expression of the oppression those communities faced half-a-century ago”.

Hareesh, who works at the state revenue department, won the Kerala Sahitya Academy award in 2016 for his collection of stories titled Aadam. His first collection of stories was titled Rasavidyayude Charithram.