Kollam: Four police officers attached to the Kollam Rural Police have been transferred out of the district following a departmental inquiry into their participation in a campaign video supporting LDF candidate and former Finance Minister K N Balagopal during the previous Assembly election.

South Zone IG G Sparjan Kumar issued the transfer orders following the inquiry. Grade Sub-Inspector S Najim and Senior Civil Police Officer A S Shivesh have been transferred to Kottayam, while Grade SI S L Sujith and Civil Police Officer V Chinthu have been posted to Alappuzha. The four were also office-bearers of police service organisations.

The controversy began after a video featuring the officers praising Balagopal and highlighting development projects associated with his tenure circulated on social media. The video, titled 'It is Balagopal, you can trust him', prompted Kottarakkara UDF candidate Aisha Potty to approach the Election Commission and the Director General of Police, alleging violation of election rules.

The departmental inquiry examined the officers' alleged involvement in political campaigning. The video showed them speaking about the facilities at the newly constructed Kollam Rural police headquarters and attributing the project to Balagopal's 'special interest', according to the complaint and subsequent reports.

During the inquiry, the officers maintained that they had not participated in an election campaign. They said the video was prepared for a district conference of the police association and that media later used portions of it for election campaigning without their permission.

However, the departmental investigation concluded that their participation amounted to political activity and recommended disciplinary action. The transfer orders followed the inquiry, with all four officers being moved out of Kollam district.

The officers had been serving under Kollam Rural Police and held positions in police service associations. The complaint had alleged that their participation in the video violated rules governing the political activities of government employees during elections.