COOCH BEHAR: Another death allegedly linked to fear surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process has been reported in the Poyaturkuthi area of Bamanhat-1 Gram Panchayat.
Nur Hossain Mia (40), a resident of the former enclave area of Poyaturkuthi, had gone to Bihar for work about a month ago. His family said they learned that all residents in the area would need to appear in person for an upcoming SIR hearing, prompting them to call him back home.
The family claims that Nur Hossain Mia became mentally stressed after hearing about the notice, and he also reportedly had a mild fever. On Thursday, he traveled from Bihar to Siliguri by bus and then to Dinhata in a reserved car. Noticing that his fever had worsened, he was subsequently taken to Dinhata Hospital, where doctors on duty declared him dead.
Commenting on the incident, Dinhata Block-2 Trinamool Congress president Dipak Bhattacharjee said: “Such incidents have been occurring since the start of the SIR process. The process is being rushed, causing constant stress among residents of the former enclaves. Notices are inconsistent—sometimes people are told there will be no hearing, and other times they are summoned urgently. Many residents fear for their lives because they lack the required documents. This is not an isolated case; several people have died due to stress related to SIR, including deaths from heart attacks and suicides. The Election Commission is putting the people of Bengal under immense pressure.”
Meanwhile, Booth Level Officer (BLO) Deepak Barman said: “I was unaware of this incident and have not received any notification requiring residents to appear in person for hearings.” BJP Cooch Behar district vice-president Biraj Bose called for a thorough investigation, stating: “The exact cause of death must be properly determined. The Trinamool Congress is linking every death to the SIR process without verification.”