Suicide, heart attack: Two deaths in West Bengal 'linked' to SIR; kin cite anxiety

NEW DELHI: Two deaths allegedly linked to unit from the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls took spot connected Thursday successful West Bengal, officials said. A booth-level officer, Ashok Das, and a 60-year-old elder citizen, Putu Sheikh, mislaid their lives amid increasing anxiousness implicit the SIR exercise.Das, an adjunct teacher astatine Baharu High School successful Joynagar, South 24 Parganas, was recovered hanging astatine his residence successful Mukundapur, confederate Kolkata. He was declared brought dormant astatine a backstage hospital, a constabulary serviceman said. His household alleged that helium had been nether "tremendous pressure" owed to SIR-related work. “He was assigned arsenic a BLO for Booth No. 110 astatine Chit Kalikapur FP School successful Purba Jadavpur arsenic portion of the ongoing SIR workout successful the state,” the serviceman added, arsenic quoted by ANI.Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma visited Das’ residence and said an probe has been initiated to ascertain the circumstances starring to the death.In Murshidabad district, Putu Sheikh, a nonmigratory of Rameswarpur Chachand colony nether Samserganj constabulary station, died of a bosom attack. According to his family, SIR proceeding notices were issued to respective members, and astatine slightest 1 announcement allegedly bore an incorrect spelling of Sheikh’s name.

“The deceased, identified arsenic Putu Sheikh, was a nonmigratory of Rameswarpur Chachand colony nether Samserganj constabulary station,” a constabulary serviceman said.

While different household members attended the hearing, Sheikh remained astatine location and reportedly suffered a bosom attack.Several deaths, including suicides, person been reported successful the authorities successful caller weeks, allegedly triggered by anxiousness linked to the ongoing SIR exercise. West Bengal main curate Mamata Banerjee, successful a missive to Chief predetermination commissioner Gyanesh Kumar connected January 12, said the SIR workout “has already seen 77 deaths with 4 attempts to termination and 17 persons falling sick and necessitating hospitalisation,” attributing it to “fear, intimidation and disproportionate workload owed to unplanned workout undertaken by ECI.”