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Kolkata, Nov 2 (IANS) The family of a migrant worker from West Bengal on Sunday claimed that the worker fell ill and died while working in Tamil Nadu after hearing about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bengal’s voter list by the Election Commission.
The body of the migrant worker who died on Thursday reached his home in Jamalpur village in East Burdwan district on Saturday evening.
On the instructions of Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha leader Abhishek Banerjee, party leaders reached out to the family and extended their solidarity.
The deceased has been identified as Bimal Santra (51), resident of Nabagram in Jamalpur area.
Family members told that the deceased had gone to Tamil Nadu for work. On October 26, he fell ill and was admitted to the hospital there. He died during treatment on Thursday. After receiving the news of his father’s death, his son Bapi Santra went to Tamil Nadu. They have also filed a case of unnatural death at Orathanadu police station in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
Bapi Santra claimed that his father had gone to Tamil Nadu for work a few days ago and was worried after hearing that SIR would be held in West Bengal.
Speaking to a section of media persons, he said, “My father was worried about whether his name would be in the voter list if SIR was implemented or not. He used to say so again and again. My father fell ill because of that fear. He died after that.” The post-mortem of Bimal’s body was conducted on Friday.
There was mourning in the area after the dead body reached his village on Saturday evening.
On receiving the news, Jamalpur Trinamool Congress MLA Alok Kumar Majhi and other Trinamool leaders went to Bimal’s house. The MLA claimed that MNREGA work in the state has been stopped by the Center for about two and a half years. That is why many people are going to other states to earn their livelihood. The TMC leader also claimed that migrant workers were worried after hearing about the SIR.
According to Trinamool sources, on the instructions of Abhishek Banerjee, District President Rabindranath Chatterjee and Minister of State Swapan Debnath also visited the village. He met Bimal’s family and expressed his condolences. Swapan Debnath said, “Another suicide has taken place due to fear of SIR. The Election Commission is responsible for this.”
It is noteworthy that Trinamool Congress has been highlighting the alleged incidents of suicide in West Bengal due to fear of SIR and National Register of Citizens (NRC). The party has alleged that ever since the SIR was announced, people are living in terror, fearing that their names will be removed from the West Bengal voter list.
A few days ago, Pradeep Kar, a resident of Panihati in North 24 Parganas district, allegedly committed suicide due to fear of SIR. Police claimed that they have found a ‘suicide note’ in which the same thing has been said.
Meanwhile, Khairul Shaikh, a resident of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district, allegedly tried to commit suicide by consuming poison fearing the same issue.
It was also alleged that an old man in Ilambazar of Birbhum district committed suicide due to fear of SIR.
However, in the case of the death of a migrant worker, the local BJP claimed that it is not possible that the worker died due to fear of SIR.
BJP’s Jamalpur-1 mandal president, Pradhan Chandra Pal said, “Any death is tragic. Bimal did not die due to SIR. He died due to other reasons. Trinamool, which has lost its hold in the village, is saying the opposite and is considering SIR as the reason for his death.”
–IANS
SH/UK