Elderly attempts suicide in Cooch Behar amid panic over SIR process

Panic over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process by the Election Commission (EC) allegedly drove an elderly man to attempt suicide in the Dinhata subdivision of Cooch Behar district on Wednesday.

- SHASHIKESH ROY

The incident took place in Jitpur 7/54 area under BurirhatII Gram Panchayat (GP) of Dinhata-II block. The victim, identified as Khairul Sheikh, reportedly consumed poison after discovering a discrepancy in his name in the voter list. While his official documents mention his name as Khairul Sheikh, the 2002 voter list reportedly recorded it as Khairu Sheikh. The variation, sources said, led to intense anxiety over potential citizenship doubts, prompting the desperate act. Family members immediately rushed him to the Dinhata Sub-Divisional Hospital, from where he was later referred to Cooch Behar MJN Medical College and Hospital as his condition worsened. He is currently undergoing treatment there and is said to be stable. Upon receiving the news, Cooch Behar District Trinamool Congress president Abhijit De Bhowmik visited the victim, met his family members and ensured that necessary medical assistance was provided. Speaking to reporters, De Bhowmik said: "He consumed