Booth Level Officer Ashwini Kumar claims he was attacked, and official documents snatched after refusal to delete minority voters during the SIR process
ETAWAH – A Booth Level Officer (BLO) in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district has filed a police complaint alleging that he was assaulted, threatened, and had his official documents snatched by a man claiming to be a BJP office-bearer. The assailant reportedly pressured him to delete names of Muslim voters from the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon, has intensified scrutiny over allegations of voter list manipulation targeting minorities in the state. The complainant, Ashwini Kumar—a teacher assigned as a BLO for booth number 323 in Munj—stated he was returning from distributing Election Commission notices when a car intercepted his bike.
“The person in the car introduced himself as a BJP office-bearer and pressured me to fill Form-7 to remove minority community voters from the list,” Kumar alleged in his complaint. When he refused, citing Election Commission guidelines, the situation turned violent.
“He started abusing me, grabbed my collar, and began beating me. Others with him joined in, snatched the official documents—voter lists and notices—from my bike’s bag, and broke my mobile phone when I tried to call for help,” Kumar stated. He added that the accused also threatened to kill him before fleeing the scene.
The victim, who sustained injuries in the attack, later filed a formal complaint at the Chaubiya police station, demanding strict action. The police have registered a case and are investigating the allegations.
This incident is not isolated. Over recent weeks, similar allegations have emerged from various districts in Uttar Pradesh, where opposition parties and civil society groups have accused ruling party workers of pressuring election officials to wrongfully delete names of Muslim voters during the SIR exercise.
When contacted, local BJP officials denied any involvement. “The party does not endorse or engage in any such illegal activities. If an individual has done something wrong, the law should take its course,” said a district BJP spokesperson.
The State Election Commission has taken note of the complaint. An officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “We are committed to ensuring a free and fair electoral process. Any coercion or attack on election officials is a serious matter and will be investigated thoroughly.”
Political analysts see this as part of a worrying pattern. “These allegations, if true, point to a systematic attempt to disenfranchise minority voters. The attack on a BLO is an escalation from mere pressure to outright intimidation,” said Dr Meera Singh, a political commentator based in Lucknow.
The police are currently examining CCTV footage from the area and questioning witnesses. No arrests have been made so far. As the investigation proceeds, the case has brought the heated and often contentious voter list revision process under renewed public and judicial scrutiny.
