Kasaragod BLO alleges assault by CPM panchayat member; video of threats emerges

Kasaragod: A booth-level officer (BLO) in the Delampady panchayat has lodged a police complaint alleging that he was assaulted by CPM panchayat member Surendran. A video showing Surendran verbally abusing and threatening the BLO has also surfaced.

The incident took place during a camp to fill enumeration forms as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for the Assembly elections slated next year, at Payaradukka ward (Booth no. 78) on Thursday.

BLO Ajith P, a clerk at the Kerala State Beverages Corporation’s Bandadka outlet, said Surendran walked up to him at the camp, grabbed his collar, slapped him, and pushed him against the wall. The assault was not caught on camera, but visuals of the verbal abuse that followed were shared widely on WhatsApp. Ajith has filed a complaint with the Adhur police.

Surendran, who chairs the panchayat’s Welfare Standing Committee, had earlier faced allegations of assaulting a young man, Unais Mainadi, inside the panchayat office. Repeated calls to him went unanswered.

Ajith said the confrontation began with confusion over distributing enumeration forms on Wednesday. Unfamiliar with the area, he sought help from a resident. That day, he accidentally mixed up the forms of two people with the same name and handed one form to a neighbour because the voter was not at home. The neighbour forgot to deliver it.

That evening, Surendran called, asking why the form had not reached the voter. Ajith said he had handed it to the neighbour. But when he could not recall the name of the neighbour, the panchayat member allegedly reprimanded him for “not doing his job” and for coming up with excuses. Ajith admitted the mistake and said he would issue a new form.

After ending the call, Ajith contacted the neighbour with the help of the resident and confirmed that the form would be handed over immediately.

Ajith then called the panchayat member back and said he had “done his job.” Surendran reportedly took offence at the tone and asked if Ajith was trying to threaten him. “I told him that if he threatened me, I would do the same,” Ajith said.

Surendran said he would complain to the District Collector. “I told him to go ahead and do whatever he liked,” Ajith added. The panchayat member then said he would “see him tomorrow.”

On Thursday morning, Ajith visited the voter again and realised he had given the wrong form earlier. He got the right form filed and reached the camp, where the panchayat member was waiting.

In the video that has surfaced, Surendran is heard abusing Ajith, including making remarks about his father, and challenging him to “do whatever you can.” At one point, he returned with his hand raised to strike Ajith again, but another person intervened.

The video of the abuse and the complaint of assault come amid the UDF’s allegation that Kannur BLO Aneesh George died by suicide after being threatened by CPM workers. Aneesh was the BLO of Ettukudukka in Kankol–Alappadamba grama panchayat, a CPM stronghold. Delampady has representation from all major parties but is controlled by the CPM.