A teacher serving as a Booth Level Officer (BLO) in Kodinar died by suicide, setting off shockwaves across the region after a disturbing message from a BLO WhatsApp group surfaced on social media. The viral message, alleging intense workload and pressure from senior officials, raised serious questions about election-related stress placed on grassroots staff.
According to the widely-circulated message, BLOs were allegedly instructed to work &ldquo;till midnight&rdquo; and warned that &ldquo;Sir will demand work even at 12 am.&rdquo; The message carried the name of the District Election Officer, further intensifying the panic among BLOs. The viral post claims that all BLOs were told to remain awake and continue tasks late into the night, raising concerns about mental health and workplace policies.&nbsp;
The controversy quickly spilled into the political space. Cabinet Education Minister Pradyuman Vaja was scheduled to attend a cooperative conference and padyatra at Nalanda School in Kodinar on Wednesday. However, the entire programme was abruptly cancelled. Sources indicated the cancellation may be linked to the teacher&rsquo;s suicide case and the sensitive atmosphere in the town. No official announcement has clarified the reason yet.
<div>On the suicide case of BLO in Gir Somnath, Additional CEO of the State Election Commission, Ashok Patel, told Benefit News,&nbsp;"Currently, the department is monitoring the situation. This incident is deeply distressing. We have asked the Collector to submit the detailed report on the incident soon."&nbsp;Collector (Gir Somnath) N V Upadhyay said,"We are deeply concerned by this incident. Speaking personally about his performance in the SIR process, he was exceptional, and we had not received a single complaint against him. I supervise other BLOs whose performance is quite poor, but Arvind consistently met expectations. He had already completed 43% of his assigned work. He never informed the department about facing any work-related pressure before taking such an extreme step. I also spoke with the Mamlatdar, and there was nothing adverse noted against him. Work-related stress can occur, but currently the police are investigating the matter and will provide me with a detailed report soon."</div>
As public anger escalates, questions are being raised over administrative accountability and the pressure placed on teachers acting as BLOs during election preparations. Local groups have demanded a transparent inquiry into the allegations made in the viral message. The district administration is likely to issue a formal statement soon as the incident gains statewide attention.

Teacher’s Suicide Sparks Uproar in Kodinar

BLO suicide triggers controversy; minister’s Kodinar event abruptly cancelled

Teacher’s Suicide Sparks Uproar in Kodinar

BLO suicide triggers controversy; minister’s Kodinar event abruptly cancelled

November 21, 2025 | 18:23 IST