Panic surrounding the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has allegedly led to the death of a 68-year-old man from South Dinajpur district.
Chandi Charan Barman, 68, a resident of Ishwarpara under Dhalpara gram panchayat in Hili block of South Dinajpur, died on Sunday morning allegedly due to extreme mental stress over the uncertainty surrounding his sons’
voting rights.
Barman died at the Balurghat district hospital where he was being treated after he suffered a heart attack.
His family members and Trinamool leaders alleged that the elderly man suffered a heart attack triggered by the anxiety surrounding the fate of his two sons.
According to family sources, Barman had been under severe mental stress since the final SIR list was published on February 28. While his name appeared on the list, the name of his elder son, Nityananda Barman, 38, was deleted. The name of his younger son, Aditya Barman, 30, was marked as “under
adjudication”.
Family members said that deeply disturbed him. “He kept asking neighbours and acquaintances what would happen if his sons’ names did not appear on the voter list,” a relative said.
On March 1, Barman suffered a cardiac arrest and was rushed to Balurghat district hospital. After five days of treatment he returned home, but had not fully
recovered.
On Saturday afternoon, he suffered another cardiac arrest and was again taken to the hospital, where he died on Sunday morning.
After news of the death spread, Arpita Ghosh, Trinamool Congress’s state vice-president (women cell) visited the bereaved family.
Aditya, the younger son of the deceased, said his father was a farmer and did not have any major health issues
earlier.
“He was under immense mental pressure post-SIR list. He was extremely worried about our future as voters. This pressure made him repeatedly fall ill and ultimately he died,” Aditya said.
“The SIR process has claimed my father’s life. We will approach the administration on this matter. We are not Bangladeshis,” he added.
Trinamool leader Ghosh alleged that the panic among citizens was the result of decisions taken by the BJP and the Election Commission.
“Ordinary people are being subjected to unnecessary harassment and anxiety during the SIR process. The death of the elderly resident of Hili is a consequence of this panic. The BJP and the Election Commission must be held accountable,”
she said.
BJP district general secretary Bapi Sarkar rejected the allegations.
He said neither the BJP nor the Election Commission was responsible for names being deleted or marked under scrutiny in the voter list. Trinamool, by using state government employees, had removed many names with ulterior motives,
he alleged.
At the same time, he said any loss of life was unfortunate.
Left Front leaders said the SIR created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty among people. Rathin Sarkar, a member of the RSP state committee, said similar complaints were emerging from different parts of the state. “As panic spreads among the public, there is also growing fear among booth level officers of possible blacklash,”
Sarkar said.