Tragic Suicide of Booth Level Officer Over Denied Wedding Leave Sparks Outrage in Fatehpur
A 50-year-old Booth Level Officer (BLO) allegedly died by suicide on Saturday evening at a government primary school in Aliyabad village, Fatehpur district, Uttar Pradesh. Officials reported to news agency PTI on Sunday that the deceased, identified as Akhilesh Savita, was apparently upset over being denied leave for his daughter's wedding.
Discovery of the Body and Suicide Note
Police found Savita hanging inside the school premises and recovered a suicide note that revealed he was under severe stress due to continuous duties linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The note indicated he had been unable to secure leave despite repeated requests, with Savita allegedly writing that he was "tired of work" and taking the extreme step because preparations for his daughter Divyanshi's wedding, scheduled for March 8, could not be completed due to ongoing official assignments.
Family Response and Hospital Protests
Family members rushed to the school after being informed and tried to save him, taking him to the Community Health Centre in Bindki, where doctors declared him dead. The incident sparked immediate protests at the hospital, with villagers and relatives accusing officials of ignoring repeated pleas for leave and raising slogans against the administration.
Tensions escalated when authorities attempted to take custody of the body, prompting irate family members to remove it from the hospital and take it to the village. Police later pacified the family, and the body was sent for postmortem examination.
Official Intervention and Villager Demands
Senior police and administrative officials, including Circle Officer Gaurav Sharma and the tehsildar, reached the hospital to manage the volatile situation. Villagers demanded the presence of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), alleging that Savita's requests for temporary relief from SIR duties had gone completely unheard by authorities.
Family Claims and Investigation
Savita is survived by his wife Manju Devi, daughter Divyanshi (20), and son Divyansh. Family members claimed that he had been seeking leave for several weeks but was compelled to continue election-related work without respite. His brother Bhupesh Kumar stated that repeated representations to officials were systematically ignored.
The additional district magistrate Avinash Tripathi confirmed that the suicide note is being carefully examined, and further action will depend on postmortem findings. Police have launched a comprehensive investigation into all circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.
Broader Context of Election Duties
This case highlights the immense pressure faced by election officials during intensive revision exercises, where personal needs are often overshadowed by bureaucratic demands. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, crucial for updating voter lists, has reportedly placed significant strain on BLOs across the state, with this incident bringing attention to the human cost of such administrative pressures.
