The Adhur Police on Thursday arrested CPM worker and ward member of Delampady panchayat Surendran for threatening BLO Ajith P (31), a clerk at the Kerala State Beverages Corporation’s Bandadka outlet, while he was carrying out SIR duty.

Police initially booked him under Section 296(b) (using abusive words) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from duty), which carries a maximum sentence of two years. However, sources in the Collectorate said the Election Commission of India intervened and directed the District Collector to add Section 121 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from duty), an offence punishable by up to five years in prison. Following this, Surendran was produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court–I late in the night and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.

Ajith said the dispute began on Wednesday when he accidentally mixed up enumeration forms and handed one to a neighbour who forgot to deliver it. When Surendran called that evening to ask why the form hadn’t reached the voter, the conversation escalated, with Surendran reprimanding him and Ajith admitting the mistake and fixing it. Ajith said Surendran became offended during a follow-up call and threatened to “see him tomorrow.” The next morning, after Ajith ensured the correct form had been filed, Surendran confronted him at the camp, verbally abused him and attempted to strike him again before others intervened.  A video showing Surendran verbally abusing and threatening the BLO has also surfaced.

The incident comes amid heightened political tension, following UDF allegations that Kannur BLO Aneesh George died by suicide after being threatened by CPM workers.

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