Kolkata, Nov 2 (NationPress) The relatives of a migrant worker hailing from West Bengal stated on Sunday that he became ill and subsequently passed away while employed in Tamil Nadu. This was reportedly linked to his anxiety regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bengal as announced by the Election Commission.

The remains of the deceased migrant worker, identified as Bimal Santra (51), returned to his village in Jamalpur, located in the East Burdwan district, on Saturday evening after his death occurred on Thursday.

Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha leader Abhishek Banerjee directed party officials to reach out to the grieving family and extend their support.

Bimal, a resident of Nabagram in Jamalpur, had traveled to Tamil Nadu in search of employment. His family reported that he fell ill on October 26 and was hospitalized, passing away on Thursday while receiving treatment. Following the news of his father's passing, his son Bapi Santra traveled to Tamil Nadu and has filed a case regarding his father's unnatural death at the Orathanadu police station in Thanjavur.

Bapi stated that his father was distressed about the SIR process and feared for his name’s inclusion in the voter list. He mentioned, "My father was often anxious about whether he would be listed if the SIR occurs. He expressed this concern repeatedly, and I believe that his fear contributed to his decline in health." An autopsy on Bimal's body was conducted on Friday.

Upon the arrival of the body back home, a profound sense of sorrow enveloped the village.

In reaction to the tragedy, Alok Kumar Majhi, the local Trinamool Congress MLA, along with other party officials visited Bimal's family, asserting that the central government had suspended MGNREGA work for nearly two and a half years, forcing many to seek work in other states. He further stated that the migrant worker's anxiety stemmed from the SIR announcement.

Trinamool sources indicated that under Abhishek Banerjee's guidance, district president Rabindranath Chatterjee and state minister Swapan Debnath also visited the village to convey their condolences. Swapan remarked, "This tragedy signifies yet another suicide linked to the fear surrounding SIR. The Election Commission must be held accountable for this."

The Trinamool Congress has been vocal about alleged suicide incidents in West Bengal triggered by SIR and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The party claims that since the SIR announcement, residents have lived in dread of being excluded from the voter list.

Recently, Pradeep Kar from Panihati in North 24 Parganas reportedly took his own life due to similar anxieties, with police recovering a 'suicide note' referencing these fears.

Additionally, a resident from Dinhata in Cooch Behar attempted suicide out of fear regarding the same issue.

Allegations also surfaced regarding an elderly individual from Ilambazar in Birbhum who committed suicide due to concerns over SIR.

Contrarily, the local BJP has disputed claims that the migrant worker's death was related to SIR. Pradhan Chandra Pal, the BJP's Jamalpur-1 Mandal President, expressed, "While any loss of life is tragic, Bimal's death was not a consequence of SIR but rather due to other circumstances. Trinamool, having lost its influence in the village, is misattributing his death to SIR."