The Congress alleged that it was threats from Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) workers and not workload that allegedly drove booth-level officer Aneesh George from Ettukudduk in Kannur district to take his own life.
Kannur District Congress Committee (DCC) president Martin George at a press conference on Monday (November 17) released digital evidence, including an audio conversation, to support the claim.
Releasing the audio conversation, Mr. George said CPI(M) Booth Level Agent (BLA) Rafeeq had threatened Aneesh during house visits related to the distribution of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) forms of electoral rolls. According to him, the threat stemmed from the presence of BLA Vysakh Congress, who accompanied Aneesh during the verification work.
Mr George said Aneesh had confided in Vysakh that he had received a threat from CPI(M) workers warning him that they would let him down if Vysakh continued to accompany him. He added that Aneesh intends to file a formal complaint if he is prevented from performing his duties.
The DCC president also claimed that the narrative that workload led to the suicide was incorrect and insisted that threats from the local CPI(M) leadership forced Aneesh to take the extreme step. He demanded that a criminal complaint be filed against Rafeeq for inciting suicide.
CPI(M) to blame: BJP
Speaking to the media after visiting Aneesh’s house, BJP Kannur North District President KK Vinod Kumar said that the collection of SIR data is normally done by agents from booths from all sides, but the CPI(M) insists that only its workers should accompany officials in areas under its influence. According to him, this attitude caused serious concern to Aneesh, who confided in several about the threats.
Mr. Vinod said that the BLOs in Kankol-Alappadamba panchayat could not work freely due to such pressure and urged the Election Commission of India to provide conditions to enable the BLOs to function independently.
Published – 17 Nov 2025 20:33 IST
