Why Did the Police File an FIR Against the ECI Over 'Suicide Fearing SIR'?
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Kolkata, Jan 21 (NationPress) The Para Police Station in West Bengal's Purulia district has lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against the Election Commission of India concerning the suspected suicide of an 82-year-old man, who allegedly took his life out of fear associated with a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing.
This case was initiated following a general diary submitted by the deceased tribal man's son, Kanai Majhi, as reported by the police on Wednesday.
As per sources from the Purulia district police, the Para police station officially registered the case against the Election Commission on Tuesday, citing "abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy".
The FIR included mentions of "unknown officials and officials of the Election Commission of India", according to police statements.
On December 29, Durjan Majhi, a resident of Chautala village in Anara Gram Panchayat of Para block, informed his family he was stepping out to book a Toto (battery-operated auto-rickshaw). Shortly after, he committed suicide on the railway tracks close to his home. He had a SIR hearing scheduled at the Para block office that very day.
Given that the elderly man took his life mere hours before the SIR hearing, his son, Kanai Majhi, a daily wage laborer, filed a complaint against the Election Commission that same evening at the Para police station. Initially, only a general diary was recorded based on this complaint. Now, a formal case has been opened against the Election Commission.
Sujoy Banerjee, general secretary of the Trinamool Congress and coordinator for the Para Assembly constituency, stated, "The elderly tribal man died due to the Election Commission. He died out of fear of the SIR hearing. The Election Commission is responsible for this incident. There is a criminal conspiracy involved. I hope the police will conduct a proper investigation."
The initiation of a case against the Election Commission has ignited considerable speculation within the political landscape of the district.
In another incident, a 32-year-old tribal individual, Debraj Orang, from Patharkata village in Manbazar, also took his own life on Sunday night after receiving a hearing notice due to inconsistencies in his voter registration information.
Family sources indicated that his relatives plan to file a complaint against the Election Commission for contributing to his suicide.
Gurupada Tudu, senior vice-president of the Purulia district Trinamool Congress and a tribal leader, remarked, "The tribal youth committed suicide due to the provocation of the Election Commission. Once the grief in their family eases, they will file a complaint against the Commission at the Manbazar police station."