West Bengal Man Takes His Life Over Voter List Revision Fears: Political Tensions Rise

A 28-year-old daily wage worker from West Bengal's Howrah district committed suicide on Tuesday, allegedly due to anxiety over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls that commenced across the state on Wednesday.

The family of Jahir Mal from Uluberia reported that he took his own life at his home. This tragic incident occurred on the same day Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led street protests in Kolkata against the voter list revision process.

His wife Regina Bibi stated, "He ended his life because of SIR. He constantly worried they would deport him to Bangladesh. Despite reassurances about his documentation being sufficient, he remained terrified. He would say he preferred sacrificing his life."

"I demand the SIR exercise be halted. People are taking their lives out of fear. I've lost my husband. What future awaits my three children now?" she added with distress.

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has reported that seven individuals have committed suicide across the state due to anxieties surrounding the electoral roll revision.

According to TMC sources, party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee dispatched a delegation to Mal's residence. State Minister Pulak Roy, who oversees Public Works and Public Health Engineering Department, also visited the bereaved family on Tuesday.

Following her protest march in Kolkata, Chief Minister Banerjee alleged "silent, invisible rigging" through the Election Commission's initiative. She declared forcefully, "If even one eligible voter is removed from electoral rolls, we will ensure this BJP government falls," drawing enthusiastic applause from supporters.

The electoral roll verification process faces opposition in Tamil Nadu as well, where the governing Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its allies approached the Supreme Court on Monday regarding this issue.

Abhishek Banerjee claimed the BJP-led central government was employing SIR in Bengal to "intimidate and disenfranchise" voters, and warned of significant demonstrations planned for New Delhi.

While the BJP has endorsed the SIR as enhancing transparency in voter lists, the Trinamool has questioned both its timing and intentions. TMC leader Derek O'Brien characterized the SIR exercise as a "con job organized by the Extremely Compromised body".

Opposition Leader in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, led a BJP rally near Kolkata on Tuesday, demanding comprehensive implementation of SIR and deportation of all Bangladeshi infiltrators from India.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP and state party president Samik Bhattacheya accused the Trinamool of fabricating false narratives about SIR. "To divert attention, the ruling party is creating poor scripts in various locations to obstruct SIR. However, Bengal's citizens now recognize that Trinamool is the outgoing government," he stated.

(With contributions from stringer Baidyanath Jha)