This marks the fourth fatality reported in the state since the initiative commenced on November 4, igniting a political blame game.
Officials identified the deceased as Zakir Hossain, a teacher at a state-run primary school who had been assigned as a BLO. He collapsed on Thursday (November 27) afternoon after expressing severe chest pain and was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died that night, according to family members.
Relatives asserted that Hossain was under “immense pressure” balancing his SIR duties with his regular teaching responsibilities.
The stress escalated, they claimed, because the primary school officials refused to relieve him despite numerous requests, compelling him to handle both tasks at once.
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With Hossain’s passing, the count of BLO deaths attributed to alleged SIR-related stress has risen to four. Previously, a BLO in Purba Bardhaman district died of a heart attack, while two others—one in Nadia’s Chapra and another in Jalpaiguri’s Malbazar—reportedly took their own lives, feeling overwhelmed by the workload.
The fatalities have ignited intense political disputes.
Trinamool Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have accused the Election Commission (EC) of imposing an “inhumane” and “unstructured” workload on BLOs.
While speaking at a rally in Bongaon earlier this week, Banerjee stated that at least 10 BLOs assigned for SIR had been hospitalized, with three already deceased.
“In Murshidabad, another BLO has died due to the pressure exerted by the EC regarding SIR. The total number of deaths is four, with nearly 14 others currently receiving medical treatment,” a senior TMC leader remarked on Friday.
Conversely, the BJP dismissed the claims, arguing that the strain on BLOs resulted not from the Election Commission’s orders but from political and administrative pressure imposed by the ruling party in the state.
