GUWAHATI: Upset that the names of his son and two grandchildren did not figure in the recently-published “complete draft” of National Register of Citizens (NRC), a man in Assam committed suicide.
The body of Deben Barman was found hanging from a tree outside his residence on Tuesday morning. He hailed from Golakganj in Lower Assam’s Dhubri district bordering Bangladesh.
Some locals said Barman was upset as the names of his son Mahendra Barman, grandson Kishan Barman and granddaughter Mousumi Barman did not figure in both part draft and complete draft of NRC.
“He became mentally-unstable and committed suicide by hanging from a tree near his house,” a local told a news channel.
“The incident could have been averted if the government had taken adequate measures to create awareness among people of backward areas on NRC and the process of filing of claims and objections,” another local said.
Jahangir Hussain Ahmed, who is the president of Desi Yuva Parishad Assam, said the deceased was a genuine citizen of the country.
“It is really unfortunate that a local took the extreme step for fear triggered by the exclusion of names of some of his family members from NRC,” he said.
The district authorities refused to relate the person’s death to NRC.
“Why should a man commit suicide when his name is there on NRC list? In any case, we will probe the incident,” Dhubri deputy commissioner (district magistrate), Anant Lal Gyani, told TNIE.
Official sources said the body was sent to Dhubri Civil Hospital for autopsy.
Meanwhile, the process of issuance of forms for filing of claims and objections, which was to have begun on Tuesday, was postponed to August 10. People, whose names did not figure in NRC, will file claims and objections to get their names included.