Kolkata, Dec 28 (NationPress) Another Booth Level Officer (BLO) tragically took his own life in the Ranibandh Assembly constituency located in Bankura district, West Bengal, on Sunday.

The lifeless body of a BLO was discovered hanging in a classroom of a school in the Rajakata area of the district.

Initial investigations revealed that Haradhan Mandal, who served as a primary school headmaster, died by suicide.

A suicide note was found at the scene, in which the educator expressed his distress over the overwhelming work pressure associated with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Upon notification, the Ranibandh police retrieved the body and sent it for post-mortem at Bankura Sammilani Medical College.

Local reports indicate that Haradhan Mandal was the headmaster of Rajakata Majherpara Primary School and was also designated as a BLO for booth number 206 in the Ranibandh Assembly constituency. He had left home around 10 a.m. to gather documentation for voters in his booth. When he failed to return for an extended period, his family grew concerned.

His family members searched for him at the school and discovered Haradhan's body suspended from a ceiling fan in a classroom, with a rope tied around his neck. A suicide note was also found.

According to police, the note stated, "I can’t endure the pressure anymore. Farewell. I take responsibility for this. No one else is involved."

The family reported that Haradhan Mandal was battling depression due to the demands of SIR work. His son, Soham Mandal, commented, "My father was unable to cope with the strain from the SIR work, which led him to take this drastic step. The workload is immense, and no training is provided."

In the wake of the BLO’s death, Abhishek Banerjee, the All-India general secretary of the Trinamool Congress, criticized the Election Commission for executing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's electoral rolls in a rushed and politically motivated manner.

Through his X account, Banerjee asserted that the BLO's suicide was a direct consequence of the excessive pressure related to SIR tasks.

"The death toll continues to rise. Another BLO appointed by the @ECISVEEP has taken his own life due to the unbearable strain of a HURRIED, CHAOTIC, and POLITICALLY-MOTIVATED SIR process. Shri Haradhan Mandal from 249 Ranibandh AC, Part No. 206, has died by suicide. In his suicide note, he clearly attributed his decision to the inhumane nature of the job," Banerjee stated.

The Trinamool Lok Sabha leader claimed that over 50 individuals have lost their lives for various reasons since the SIR process commenced in West Bengal.

"Over 50 lives have already been lost to the panic, anxiety, exhaustion, and fear fostered by a voter-cleansing operation aimed at benefiting the BJP. What should have been a systematic endeavor has instead been rushed through by a compliant Election Commission, bending to serve the political interests of ONE PARTY and the ego of ONE MAN," he emphasized.

Criticizing the BJP concerning the BLO’s death, Banerjee remarked, "And as for the BJP, if people succumb to fatigue, despair, or terror, it is an acceptable collateral damage, a mere footnote in their quest for power. History is observing. Bengal will neither forgive nor forget."