Kerala BLO dies after jumping into river; locals allege election work pressure

Kasaragod: A teacher serving as a Booth Level Officer (BLO) within the Kudlu Village limits here has died after jumping into a river. Although he was rushed to the Kasaragod General Hospital in a critical condition, he passed away. The deceased has been identified as B Muhammed Savad (32), a resident of Mogral Puthur here and an Arabic teacher at the Cherkala Central Government Higher Secondary School.

Local residents staged a protest at the hospital, alleging that excessive work pressure led to his death. However, the police stated that Savad took his own life due to personal reasons and claimed that a suicide note has been recovered. The situation was de-escalated after RDO Binu Joseph and ASP Achyut Ashok arrived and assured a detailed investigation.

Savad’s scooter was found parked on the Mogral Bridge, prompting a search of the river. He was discovered in a weakened state between two boats. Despite being immediately moved to the hospital, he could not be saved.

Colleagues stated that he had been directed to complete voter list-related tasks by March 21. They mentioned that he had verbally requested an extension due to the Eid festival, but it was reportedly denied. Conversely, the District Collector noted that the Tehsildar had previously reported Mohammed Savad as an outstanding Booth Level Officer who performed his duties excellently.

He is survived by his father Shafi (Postal Department), mother Fousiya and siblings Farooq Kadavath (KSEB Vorkady Section), Safwana, Safari and Sasha.

(Note: Suicide is never a solution. Seek help from mental health professionals. If you are experiencing such thoughts, contact the 'Disha' helpline at 1056 or 04712 2552056).