SIR pressure ends up in suicide bid by Anganwadi worker

A senior anganwadi worker in the Kumbakonam region of Tamil Nadu is reported to have tried taking her life after being placed under extreme pressure to complete 200 election-revision forms by nightfall.

- HD Bureau

Fellow workers say the woman consumed 44 pills after being threatened with suspension if she failed to submit the forms via a mobile app before bedtime.The woman, a Booth Level Officer in the voter-list revision exercise known as SIR, had been working in the Korkai area and was allegedly required to finish the work late at night. Colleagues claim she and other anganwadi staff were repeatedly called by a supervisor at 10 pm and then again at 6 am on video calls, demanding immediate completion of the forms.

One anganwadi worker said: “She kept trying every pill she could find at home after the threat of suspension”. According to the worker, the supervisor set an unrealistic target of 200 forms in one night.