Hyderabad man, 51, dies by suicide over SIR voter roll deletion fear
Synopsis
A Hyderabad cab driver took his own life on 28 June, reportedly overwhelmed by the fear that document discrepancies would get his name struck off the voter rolls under the SIR — and that his family, including two children with intellectual disabilities, would lose their welfare lifeline. His death puts a human cost to a bureaucratic exercise affecting crores of voters across Telangana.
Key Takeaways
Sheikh Mujbil Rehman , 51 , a cab driver in Bharat Nagar, Borabanda, Hyderabad , died by suicide on 28 June 2025 .
He was allegedly distressed over his name not appearing in the 2002 voter list and conflicting spellings across his Aadhaar and passport .
Rehman had reportedly spent ₹1.5 lakh over more than a month trying to correct document anomalies before the SIR deadline.
His family feared that voter-roll deletion would strip two children with intellectual disabilities of their disability pension and other welfare benefits.
As of 28 June , Telangana's SIR had covered 42.33% of voters, with over 1.43 crore enumeration forms distributed.
Police have registered a case and begun an investigation.
A 51-year-old cab driver in Hyderabad died by suicide on Sunday, 28 June, allegedly driven by acute anxiety over the possible deletion of his name from the electoral rolls under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Telangana. The deceased, Sheikh Mujbil Rehman, reportedly feared the consequences of losing his voter registration — particularly the risk of his family, including two children with intellectual disabilities, losing access to government welfare benefits and pension support.
How the Night Unfolded
According to his wife, Rehman woke up around 2 am and returned to bed after drinking water. He stirred again an hour later but did not respond when she asked whether he was heading out for work. At around 4.30 am, their son woke up and raised an alarm upon finding his father hanging. Rehman was found dead at the family's residence in Bharat Nagar, Borabanda. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation.
A Tangle of Documents and Bureaucratic Anxiety
Rehman's nephew Imam told reporters that the deceased had spent approximately ₹1.5 lakh attempting to resolve discrepancies across his identity documents. His name appeared with different spellings across his Aadhaar card and passport, and there were also inconsistencies in his date of birth across records. Critically, Rehman's name did not appear in the 2002 voter list — a document required for mapping under the SIR process — nor did the names of his parents, further complicating his case.
Imam said Rehman had been running between government offices for over a month seeking corrections, but was unable to resolve the anomalies before the enumeration deadline. His family says he grew increasingly distressed after hearing accounts from others about what deletion from the voter list could mean legally and practically for a household already navigating vulnerability.
The Family's Fears: Welfare, Pension, and an Uncertain Future
Rehman's wife said he had been visibly tense for several days, consumed by worry that failure to correct his documents would result in his two children with intellectual disabilities losing their disability pension, and the family being cut off from other government welfare schemes. Originally from Karnataka, Rehman's family had relocated to Hyderabad well before his marriage 30 years ago — a detail that may have complicated the tracing of his records in older voter rolls.
SIR Process: Scale and Context
Door-to-door enumeration under the SIR commenced across Telangana on 25 June 2025. By 28 June, Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) had distributed 1,43,17,635 enumeration forms statewide, covering 42.33% of voters, according to official figures. The revision is a large-scale exercise aimed at updating and cleansing the electoral rolls — but for citizens with documentation irregularities, the process has reportedly generated significant anxiety. Rehman's death is the first widely reported fatality linked to distress over the SIR process.
What Happens Next
Authorities have not yet issued a formal response to the incident. Civil society groups and opposition voices are likely to scrutinise whether adequate grievance-redressal mechanisms were made available to voters facing document discrepancies during the SIR. The case may also prompt calls for a review of the support infrastructure for vulnerable households navigating the enumeration process.
If you or someone you know is in distress, please contact iCall at 9152987821 or Vandrevala Foundation Helpline at 1860-2662-345 (available 24x7).
Point of View
Inconsistent documents, and no institutional support to navigate the system. The SIR is a legitimate electoral hygiene measure, but the government has so far offered no clear, accessible grievance channel for voters caught in documentation limbo. When the cost of bureaucratic failure is felt most acutely by the most vulnerable — here, a family with two children with disabilities whose welfare benefits hang on a voter card — the process demands a safeguard, not just a deadline. Rehman's case will not be unique; it will be the most visible.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Sheikh Mujbil Rehman and why did he die by suicide?
Sheikh Mujbil Rehman was a 51-year-old cab driver from Bharat Nagar, Borabanda, Hyderabad, who allegedly took his own life on 28 June 2025 due to severe mental distress over the possible deletion of his name from the voter rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). He feared that document discrepancies — including name-spelling mismatches and an absent 2002 voter list entry — could cost his family access to disability pensions and welfare schemes.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Telangana?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a large-scale exercise to update and cleanse Telangana's electoral rolls through door-to-door enumeration. It began on 25 June 2025, and by 28 June, Booth-Level Officers had distributed over 1.43 crore enumeration forms, covering 42.33% of the state's voters.
What document problems was Rehman facing?
Rehman's name appeared with different spellings across his Aadhaar card and passport, and there were inconsistencies in his date of birth across records. His name did not appear in the 2002 voter list required for SIR mapping, nor did his parents' names — complications he had spent over a month and reportedly ₹1.5 lakh trying to resolve.
What were the family's specific fears about voter-roll deletion?
Rehman's wife told reporters that he was worried deletion from the voter list could result in their two children with intellectual disabilities losing their disability pension and the family being cut off from other government welfare schemes. The family had no alternative income safety net beyond these benefits.
What action has been taken after Rehman's death?
Police in Hyderabad have registered a case and launched an investigation into the circumstances of Rehman's death. As of the latest reports, authorities have not issued a formal public response regarding the broader implications for SIR grievance mechanisms.
