WB Woman Dies by Self-Immolation Amid Stress Over Voter Verification

TW: Mentions of suicide.

In the Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal, a middle-aged woman died after allegedly setting herself on fire. Her family claims that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which started on November 4, caused her to experience extreme mental anguish.

Despite her name being on the 2002 voter list, Mustara Khatun Kazi (50), who was single and lived with her parents, had been extremely worried about the continuing SIR verification, according to a senior police official who cited family members.

"We repeatedly tried to reassure her that she would face no difficulty with the documentation process and had even submitted her enumeration form on Friday, but she continued to be under stress. Family members noticed flames in late night hours and rushed to her rescue. She was taken to Bhatar Block Hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival," the police official said.

Police sent the body for post-mortem examination and said an investigation into the circumstances of her death is underway.

Saiful Haque, a member of the Bhatar gram panchayat, expressed disbelief over the occurrence, saying: "She was repeatedly told there was nothing to fear." However, she was experiencing extreme mental strain. Haque placed the blame on the Election Commission, claiming that vulnerable persons experienced bewilderment, anxiety, and psychological suffering as a result of the SIR process's hasty and unprepared start.

Local MLA Mangobinda Adhikari visited the family later in the day, giving support and threatening demonstrations if similar instances happened again.

According to a top TMC leader, Jadavpur MP Saayoni Ghosh has been invited to visit the family's home by party National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

According to the TMC, at least 40 individuals, including four BLOs, have perished as a result of the SIR exercise in West Bengal in the last month.