Cooch Behar, Oct 29 (PTI) The TMC on Wednesday claimed that a 63-year-old man in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar attempted suicide fearing harassment due to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and accused the BJP and the Election Commission of triggering panic across the state.
Police said Khairul Sheikh, a resident of Jitpur in Dinhata, allegedly consumed poison as “he was anxious over his name being wrongly recorded in the 2002 voter list”. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Cooch Behar district hospital.
“We learnt that he was anxious for several days after discovering that his name had been incorrectly recorded in the 2002 voter list,” a senior police official told reporters, adding that the exact reason behind his suicide bid would be clear once his condition improves.
The incident comes a day after a 57-year-old man in North 24 Parganas’ Panihati allegedly took his own life, leaving behind a note blaming the NRC for his death.
The twin incidents have fuelled fresh political confrontation in the state over the SIR drive.
After meeting the family of the deceased in Panihati, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said, “I have heard that one more person has tried to end his life in Cooch Behar. He is presently hospitalised and under doctor’s observation. We wish him a speedy recovery.” The TMC escalated its attack through a strongly worded post on X, saying, “Two lives. Two tragedies. One cause. BJP’s politics of hate. How many more lives will it take, Narendra Modi, for you to stop weaponising citizenship?” Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while virtually inaugurating from Kolkata the ‘Saras Mela’ in the Darjeeling Hills, turned towards North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha, and said, “I just heard a person consumed pesticide in your district. Please go to the residence of the person by this evening.” She, however, did not specify or elaborate.
TMC leader Partha Pratim Roy alleged widespread panic among former enclave residents in Cooch Behar, claiming they fear being declared “outsiders in their own land”.
“The Commission must take responsibility. Two consecutive incidents show how the SIR is affecting lives,” he said.
The BJP has dismissed the allegations, saying the SIR process is a routine exercise to clean the voter rolls.
“The allegations are baseless. They are trying to give a political twist to every incident,” a local BJP leader said.
The EC has not yet commented on the controversy.
Police said investigations are underway to determine whether both incidents were linked to the ongoing verification drive. PTI PNT MNB RBT
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