BLO Found Dead in Nadia as SIR Pressure Prompts Halt Call
BLO Found Dead in Nadia as SIR Pressure Prompts Halt Call
A Booth Level Officer in Nadia district died by suicide amid work pressure linked to the Special Intensive Revision, prompting Mamata Banerjee to urge halting the SIR process in Bengal.
A 52-year-old Booth Level Officer, Rinku Tarafdar, was found dead at her Krishnanagar residence in the Bangaljhi area of Chapra, Nadia district, with family members alleging that the SIR workload pushed her to the brink. Police said a suicide note was recovered, and the body was sent for a postmortem. Tarafdar, who also worked as a para-teacher at Vivekananda Vidyamandir, served as BLO for Booth No 201 in Chapra-2 Panchayat, a detail that underscores how frontline election workers have been bearing mounting stress during the Special Intensive Revision.
The incident marks the third death of a BLO in Bengal since the SIR exercise began, following deaths in Jalpaiguri and Purba Bardhaman. Authorities have noted the intensity of both offline and online duties associated with compiling and verifying voter rolls, which has fueled concerns among workers about safety, job security, and punitive action for perceived errors.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reacted sharply to the unfolding events, sharing Tarafdar’s name and a handwritten note reportedly blaming the Election Commission for her plight. In her social media posts, Banerjee questioned, “How many more lives will be lost? How many more need to die for this SIR? This has become truly alarming now!!” She also disclosed that the Chief Election Commissioner had been urged to halt the ongoing SIR process in Bengal.
The police have not ruled out the possibility of stress-related factors contributing to Tarafdar’s death and said investigations are ongoing. Banerjee had previously written to the CEC on November 20 urging a pause in the SIR, arguing that the human cost and fear among BLOs were undermining the exercise’s legitimacy. The unfolding case has rekindled debate about the burden placed on election workers and how best to safeguard their well-being during large-scale electoral undertakings.
Cover image source: BLO found dead in Bengal's Nadia, family claims SIR work-related stress 🔗
