Electoral Roll Anxiety Claims a Life in West Bengal

A 70-year-old man died in Nadia district, West Bengal, allegedly due to anxiety over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The man's family claimed he stopped eating after discovering his name was missing from the voters' list, despite having valid documentation.

A 70-year-old man succumbed to anxiety-related complications in West Bengal's Nadia district on Monday, according to his family, who blame the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for his stress-related demise.

Identified as Shyamal Kumar Saha, the deceased stopped eating after finding his name omitted from the 2002 voters' list, despite possessing complete documentation, including voter card, Aadhaar, and property papers. The local Trinamool Congress leaders have visited his family.

The SIR, resuming after a 23-year hiatus, has generated significant fear of exclusion among residents, with several alleged suicides reported. The TMC accuses the Election Commission of inciting distress, a claim dismissed by the BJP as political maneuvering.

(With inputs from agencies.)