Trinamool alleges death in Bengal over SIR fear: 'Terrified of harassment...'

Taking it to the social media platform X, the TMC said that the person who lost his life was a migrant worker named Bimal Santra

Calling SIR an exercise “designed to terrorise and displace,” the post said that it is a tool that is used to intimidate people and drive them to despair.(HT File Photo)

Sharpening its attack on the Election Commission and the BJP on the issue of SIR, the Trinamool Congress on Saturday claimed that another person from West Bengal died allegedly due to fear of being declared a non-citizen if his name did not appear in the 2002 electoral rolls.

Taking it to the social media platform X, the TMC said that the person who lost his life was a migrant worker named Bimal Santra from Nabagram village under Jamalpur in West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman district.

"Another precious life lost to @BJP4India's politics of fear and hatred," the party said, without giving details of the circumstances of Santra's death or citing any police confirmation.

The post also stated that in a few days, two similar deaths had occurred, including 57-year-old Pradeep Kar of Panihati, who died by suicide and blamed the NRC in his note and the second of a 63-year-old man from Jitpur, “who attempted to take his life, terrified of harassment under the SIR process," the TMC said.

The party also mentioned 95-year-old Khitish Majumder of Kotwali in Paschim Medinipur, who was living with his daughter in Ilambazar and ended his life.

"The latest instance is that of Bimal Santra… who died of fear sparked by SIR," the post said.

Calling SIR an exercise “designed to terrorise and displace,” the post said that it is a tool that is used to intimidate people and drive them to despair.

Santra’s family told reporters that he had moved to Tamil Nadu after being left jobless and was admitted to the hospital after his health deteriorated. He later died. "My father was under severe stress. He was hospitalised due to this. We contacted our MLA, who helped us a lot in this crisis," his son said.

Meanwhile, local MLA Ashoke Majhi said that people were jobless since the 100-day work scheme was not operating in the area where Santra lived, and he, like others, went to Tamil Nadu to work. “But I have been told by his family that he was scared of the SIR, and ultimately, he lost his life. This is unfortunate,” MLA said.