Two men in West Bengal’s North and South 24 Parganas districts allegedly died by suicide this week and last week, with their families and political leaders linking the deaths to anxiety over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the 2026 assembly polls, according to PTI reports.
The Trinamool Congress has alleged that as many as eight people in the state have died by suicide due to fear over the SIR, though the figure is yet to be independently verified.
In the South 24 Parganas district, 57-year-old Safikul Gazi, originally from Ghushighata in North 24 Parganas, was found hanging at his in-laws’ home in Jaypur, Bhangar, on Wednesday. Family members said Gazi, who had been mentally disturbed following injuries in a recent accident, became increasingly anxious after the SIR process began.
“He was terrified about not having valid identity papers. He kept saying he would be thrown out of the country. He had even fallen ill out of fear. This morning, after having tea, he went to tie the goats and later we found him hanging with a gamchha (towel) in the goat shed,” his wife told reporters.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) claimed this was the eighth such incident in the state linked to fears surrounding the SIR process. Canning East MLA Shaukat Molla, who visited the family, said: “Till Tuesday, seven people had died due to fear over the SIR process. Now, Bhangar has joined that list. This is happening because of the BJP's conspiracy to intimidate and disenfranchise poor people.”
The BJP dismissed the claim as “politically motivated drama,” saying the SIR is a routine Election Commission exercise and that law and order is the responsibility of the state government, not the party.
A similar incident occurred last week in North 24 Parganas, when 57-year-old Pradeep Kar was found hanging at his residence in Panihati, Barrackpore. Police said a suicide note mentioned the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and it has been noted that Kar had been reportedly depressed after the announcement of the SIR on Monday.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of spreading fear through its campaign around the NRC, which she said had “tormented innocent citizens” and created panic leading to the “tragic death.” She called it “venomous propaganda” and reiterated that Bengal would “never allow NRC” while protecting the rights of its people.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya had countered that Banerjee’s remarks were “lies and theatrics,” stressing that the cause of Kar’s death should be determined by investigating agencies, not political rhetoric. He also noted that there is currently no NRC in the country and accused the TMC of exploiting public fear ahead of the SIR exercise. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee dismissed Malviya’s comments, highlighting that the suicide note was written in Bangla.
The Election Commission has yet to comment on the incidents. The SIR, aimed at updating electoral rolls, has sparked tension in several districts, with the TMC alleging it is being used for “silent voter deletion” while the BJP insists it ensures clean and authentic voter lists.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)
