A 64-year-old man was found dead at his residence in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district on Thursday, with his family alleging that anxiety linked to a notice for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing of electoral rolls may have driven him into severe distress.
The deceased, identified as Bablu Pal, lived in the Palpara area under the jurisdiction of Raiganj police station. Police said his body was discovered hanging inside the house in the early hours of the day.
“Upon receiving information, a team reached the spot and recovered the body, which has been sent to Raiganj Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem,” a police officer said, adding that a case has been registered and further inquiry is underway.
Family members claimed Pal had been deeply worried since receiving a notice related to the second phase of the SIR process. According to them, he feared that his name could be removed from the voters’ list and that he might be labelled an illegal migrant.
Relatives also said a suicide note was found in the room, though police have not officially verified its contents.
Pal, who worked as a scrap dealer, is survived by his wife and a daughter who is set to appear for her Madhyamik (Class 10) examinations beginning February 2.
Local Trinamool Congress MLA Krishna Kalyani visited the family and later told reporters that uncertainty surrounding the SIR exercise had created widespread fear among residents, holding the Election Commission responsible for what he described as mounting psychological pressure.
Raiganj Superintendent of Police Sonowane Kuldeep Suresh said the cause of death would be confirmed only after the autopsy report is received. “It would be premature to draw conclusions before the post-mortem findings,” he said.
