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Kolkata woman dies by suicide, family alleges ‘panic’ due to ongoing SIR
The incident took place in southern Kolkata's Kudghat area. Her family reported heightened distress after not receiving her enumeration form.
An elderly woman allegedly died by suicide in Kolkata's Kudghat area after setting herself on fire due to panic over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal.
The victim, identified as Jamuna Mondal, 67, was a resident of Dhalai bridge of New Putiari Udayachal area in south Kolkata's Ward 114. She set herself on fire inside her house as she did not receive her enumeration form, news agency PTI reported quoting police officials.
Mondal's family claimed that her anxiety intensified soon after the SIR process commenced. When she did not receive her SIR enumeration form, it only contributed to her distress.
She was rushed to MR Bangur hospital in Tollygunge with severe burns, where she later succumbed to her injuries. “Her body has been sent for a post-mortem examination,” police said adding that police have initiated an investigation into the circumstances of her death.
SIR linked deaths rattle states
The incident comes a day after a 47-year-old man from the city's south Dum Dum area was found hanging from a tree near his home on Monday morning, with his family claiming he had been distressed for days over issues linked to the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls.
The deceased was identified as Baidyanath Hazra, a resident of RN Guha Road of ward 9 of south Dum Dum municipality, PTI reported citing police officials.
Similar reports of deaths have rattled several districts of West Bengal including North 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, Birbhum, and Nadia, which are allegedly linked to anxiety over the ongoing SIR process
Kerala has also been seeing similar deaths over SIR.
A school employee, who was working as a Booth Level Officer (BLO) as part of the upcoming local body elections, was found hanging in his house in Payyanur of Kannur district, located in the north of Kerala, on Sunday, PTI reported.
Identified as Aneesh George, the man used to work as a peon in a government school in Payyannur.
George allegedly took the extreme step due to the work pressure in connection with the SIR of the electoral rolls.
The Election commission of India (ECI) has launched the SIR exercise in various states, including West Bengal. SIR is a door-to-door verification drive intended to clean up duplicates, remove deceased voters and add new eligible voters.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. A few major suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-23389090 from Sumaitri (Delhi-based) and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based).
