SIR Hearing Anxiety Claims Lives in Bengal: Three Deaths Reported Across Districts
In a tragic series of events, three individuals in West Bengal have reportedly died due to severe anxiety linked to State Intelligence Reports (SIR) hearing notices, exposing the profound mental distress caused by documentation issues in the region.
Murshidabad Tragedy: A Wife's Heartbreaking Ordeal
In Murshidabad's Kandi, Roksana Biwi stood frozen at an SIR hearing center, clutching documents for her husband Ibrahim Sheikh, a 32-year-old worker in Saudi Arabia. She had come to represent him in the hearing when a devastating phone call informed her that Ibrahim had died by suicide at his workplace. The family attributes his death to overwhelming anxiety over the SIR notice.
Rahmat Sheikh, a relative, shared: "He worked tirelessly to provide a better life for his family. A single notice shattered his peace. He repeatedly said, 'There is a mistake in the papers,' and kept asking, 'Will they not let me return to the country?' This worry ultimately took his life."
Local authorities, including Kandi TMC MLA Apurba Sarkar and police officials, visited Ibrahim's home. Police noted that the hearing notice arose from a discrepancy between 2025 and 2002 lists regarding Ibrahim's father's details.
Malda Incident: Daily Wage Earner Succumbs to Fear
In a separate case in Malda's Nurpur, 55-year-old daily wage earner Sk Sariful passed away on Tuesday morning, coinciding with the day his sons were scheduled for an SIR hearing. His sons, Ariful and Dildar, had received notices due to their EPICs listing their father's name as "Sariful" instead of "Sk Sariful."
Family members revealed that Sariful, fearing deportation, visited multiple offices seeking assistance. He stopped speaking and refrained from eating for several days prior to his death. Sk Sadikul, a local panchayat member, commented: "In our Tiorpara booth, a Muslim-dominated area, nearly 90% of residents have received notices over discrepancies or linking failures."
North 24 Parganas: Elderly Man Dies from Family Stress
In North 24 Parganas' Hingalganj, 71-year-old Ajagar Biswas died on Monday night after hearing notices were issued to three family members, though none were in his name. His son, Abu Bakkar Biswas, explained that his father was under severe stress ahead of the scheduled hearing.
"We tried to reassure him, but he kept worrying about what would happen to us and our mother," Abu Bakkar said, highlighting the familial pressure exacerbated by the SIR process.
Broader Implications and Community Impact
These incidents underscore the critical mental health toll of SIR hearings in Bengal, particularly in districts like Murshidabad, Malda, and North 24 Parganas. The deaths point to widespread anxiety over documentation errors, with many residents facing similar notices.
- Key Issues Identified: Discrepancies in voter lists, name mismatches in EPICs, and linking failures are common triggers for notices.
- Community Response: Local leaders and officials are engaging with affected families, but concerns persist about the system's impact on vulnerable populations.
- Mental Health Concerns: The cases highlight an urgent need for support mechanisms to address stress and anxiety related to legal and administrative processes.
As investigations continue, these tragedies serve as a somber reminder of the human cost behind bureaucratic procedures, urging a reevaluation of how such hearings are conducted and communicated to prevent further loss of life.
