‘Suicide over SIR anxiety’: FIR registered against EC for elderly man’s death

Kolkata: An FIR was filed against the Election Commission in Purulia district in connection with the death of an 82-year-old man who allegedly ended his life due to “anxiety over the ongoing SIR”, a senior officer said on Wednesday.

Based on a complaint by his son at the Para Police Station, the case was registered 23 days after the incident, he said.

“The case includes charges of abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy against officials of the Election Commission. No official was named in the FIR,” the officer said.

Durjan Majhi, a tribal man of Choutala village in Para block, died allegedly by suicide on December 29, hours before he was scheduled to appear for an SIR hearing at the block office, he said.

Majhi’s family alleged that he ended his life due to “anxiety over the ongoing SIR of the electoral rolls”. In another incident, a 32-year-old tribal man died allegedly by suicide in Manbazar in Purulia district after he had received a SIR hearing notice, his family claimed.