Man held for vandalizing UDF candidate’s election office in Kovalam

T'puram: A 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly vandalizing the election committee office of UDF Kovalam candidate M Vincent, causing damage estimated at around Rs 2 lakh, police said on Sunday morning. The accused, Santosh, a native of Pulivila, was taken into custody from his residence in the afternoon, hours after the incident which occurred around 7.30am. He was later produced before the Neyyattinkara court and remanded in judicial custody. According to police, the office, functioning out of a lunch shop near Balaramapuram, was attacked when the security guard briefly left the premises in the morning. Taking advantage of his absence, the accused allegedly entered the office and smashed equipment, including computers, a laptop containing crucial election-related data, a printer and lights. Flex boards, an archway and other campaign materials installed outside the office were also damaged. A campaign vehicle parked nearby was also vandalized. The incident came to light when party workers and leaders arrived later and found the premises ransacked. According to a complaint filed by election committee chairman Koliyoor Divakaran Nair and KPCC member Vincent D Paul, the total loss is estimated at around Rs 2 lakh. Vincent visited the site soon after and assessed the damage. Police said CCTV footage from nearby shops helped identify the accused, who has also been named in an earlier case involving an attack on the candidate's vehicle. The accused was later taken to the scene and evidence was collected. Balaramapuram police registered a case and is continuing its investigation.