Panic Deepens in Bengal: Four More Deaths Linked to Electoral Roll Revision, Toll Rises to 14

Agencies, Kolkata/Jalpaiguri, 8 November 2025 : The toll linked to the ongoing panic over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal has now risen to 14, with four more deaths reported and one attempted suicide. The alarming surge in fatalities has sparked outrage, with many blaming the electoral roll revision process for creating widespread fear and distress among the state’s residents.

On Friday, a 49-year-old sex worker, Biti Das, was found hanging in her home in the Garbagan red-light area near Sheoraphuli Station in Hooghly district. Local sources said that Biti had been deeply anxious after discovering that her name was missing from the electoral list, and she feared the repercussions of potential detention. The police have sent her body for a post-mortem examination, but the ongoing panic surrounding the SIR process is believed to have played a role in her death.

In another incident, 80-year-old Laluram Barman from Dhupguri suffered a fatal heart attack during a visit by a Booth Level Officer (BLO) for voter verification. Barman, a refugee from Bangladesh, had long been anxious about his name being absent from the electoral roll. His family revealed that the onset of the verification process triggered his distress, which ultimately led to his sudden collapse. “My father-in-law’s name was not on the 2002 voter list, and he had no voter ID. When the BLO came to distribute forms, he panicked and suddenly fell ill,” his daughter-in-law, Moti Mala Barman, explained. The incident has raised concerns over the emotional toll of the SIR process.

Further tragedies unfolded in Kalicharanpur village under Dhola Gram Panchayat, where 45-year-old Shahabuddin Paik died of a heart attack. Shahabuddin was deeply troubled after discovering that both his and his wife’s names were missing from the 2002 voter list. His family has blamed the anxiety caused by the electoral process for his untimely death. Shahabuddin had been hospitalized earlier in the week due to stress but died after being transferred to the Diamond Harbour Government Medical College.

In a similar case, 37-year-old Biman Pramanik from Sainthia Municipality also died of a heart attack after spending several days in distress due to an error in his surname on the voter list. Despite efforts to have the mistake corrected, Biman’s mental state deteriorated, leading to his death on Wednesday evening. His family has directly attributed his passing to the stress of the SIR process.

The most recent tragedy also involved 39-year-old Akbar Ali from Khardaha, who attempted suicide by ingesting poison after discovering that his name was missing from the 2002 voter list. Fortunately, he was rescued by his wife and neighbors and is currently undergoing medical treatment.

These tragic deaths have sparked widespread criticism of the SIR process, with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) accusing the government of mishandling the electoral revision. The TMC posted on social media, denouncing SIR as "a weapon of electoral erasure" rather than a tool for electoral accuracy. Party leaders have called for a halt to the process, blaming it for causing unnecessary anxiety among the public.

In response to these growing concerns, the TMC has written to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, highlighting discrepancies between the remarks made by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the written instructions issued to Booth Level Officers (BLOs). While the CEC had stated that blood relatives such as uncles could be included in SIR forms, the official guidelines and software interface restrict the 'relative' category to parents and grandparents only, causing confusion among voters.

The state’s leadership, including Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, has accused the Centre and the Election Commission of rushing the process without adequately addressing the emotional and psychological impact on the citizens. As the death toll continues to rise, calls for a more sensitive and transparent approach to the electoral revision grow louder.