Case of unnatural death registered after booth-level officer found dead in Kannur

The Payyannur police have registered a case of unnatural death after a booth-level officer (BLO) was found hanging at his residence in Ettukudukka on Sunday (November 16, 2025).

The deceased has been identified as Aneesh George, 44, a native of Ettukudukka, and a peon at Kunnaru AUP School.

Aneesh, who was serving as the BLO of ward 18 in the Payyannur constituency, was found dead in his room on Sunday morning around 11 a.m. While the preliminary conclusion suggests suicide, the police have registered a case of unnatural death to probe further.

Meanwhile, the family has alleged that Aneesh had been under considerable pressure due to his election-related duties. They claimed that he had no personal issues and had been working late on the voters’ list the previous day.

The police are examining whether the workload associated with election duty lead to his alleged suicide. The body has been shifted to a hospital for post-mortem examination.

Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U. Kelkar sought a report from District Collector Arun K. Vijayan on the incident.

Mr. Kelkar, while taking note of the claims of excessive workload, said a police investigation was essential in the case. He clarified that the Commission had not received any formal complaints so far and added that the BLO duties were carried out through teamwork.

He also stated that the BLOs had not been assigned additional tasks for the past 31 days.

The Collector, while denying allegations of work-related stress, said Aneesh was a committed worker. Further details would be available only after receiving the police report, the Collector said.

(Suicide prevention helpline: DISHA – 1056, 0471-2552056)