BLO in MP’s Jhabua collapses, dies day after suspension; family blames stress
The BLO, an assistant teacher in a primary school, had been suspended on Tuesday and was stress due to SIR, his family said
BHOPAL: A Booth Level Officer (BLO) collapsed and died soon after in Madhya Pradesh’s Jhabua district on Wednesday, a day after he was suspended for negligence in connection with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, people familiar with the matter said.
Assistant teacher Bhuvan Singh Chauhan, who was posted at a primary school in Jhabua, had been suspended on Tuesday. “Bhuwan hadn’t eaten dinner or slept on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, he suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed from the stairs. He was immediately taken to the Community Health Centre in Bori, where doctors declared him dead,” said his wife Mishri Chauhan.
His daughter Sangeeta Chauhan said her father’s workload had increased sharply after being appointed as a BLO. “He was facing issues as there was pressure to survey at least 100 voters daily. On the day he was suspended, he couldn’t bear the pressure. He died on Wednesday,” she told reporters while waiting for her father’s autopsy on Thursday.
Jhabua sub-divisional magistrate Bhaskar Gachle said Bhuwan Singh Chauhan was suspended after a complaint was received from the Naib Tehsildar that Bhuwan Singh was found absent from duty and was neglecting his duty.
“He was suspended on Tuesday. We are not aware of the death, but we will collect information regarding it,” Gachle said.
On November 11, a teacher in Datia died by suicide in a washroom on the school premises. His family had also linked his death to pressure over SIR.
A Booth Level Officer (BLO) in Madhya Pradesh's Jhabua district, Bhuvan Singh Chauhan, died shortly after being suspended for negligence linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. His family reported he felt overwhelmed by work pressure and had not eaten or slept before collapsing. This incident follows another teacher's suicide related to similar stress.