A 38-year-old man from Madhyamgram died on Thursday morning after suffering a heart attack while standing in a long queue for a government hearing, with his family blaming the immense stress caused by the process for his death.
Fatal Queue at BDO Office
Ramzan Ali, a resident of Badu in Madhyamgram and a driver by profession, had gone to the Barasat Block II BDO office with his mother, Salma Begum. They were there for a hearing related to corrections under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. According to his cousin, Sheikh Gulam Ali, Ramzan fell ill and collapsed after standing in the queue for a long time in the cold weather.
Locals immediately rushed him to the Sanberia Rural Health Centre. Unfortunately, doctors at the centre declared him dead on arrival.
Family's Anguish Over "Fear" of SIR Process
In a heart-wrenching account, Ramzan's mother Salma revealed that her son had been living under extreme stress ever since they received the notice for the SIR hearing. The issue pertained to their names not being on the 2002 voters' list.
"He repeatedly asked me where we would go and whether we would be driven out of this country. He even broke down in tears," Salma said. "I somehow convinced him and brought him for the hearing. I never imagined my son would die like this." The family alleges that the fear and anxiety surrounding the SIR process ultimately led to his fatal cardiac arrest.
Political Response and Condemnation
The tragic incident drew visits from State Food and Supplies Minister Rathin Ghosh, Madhyamgram Municipality chairperson Nimai Ghosh, and other local Trinamool Congress leaders. They met the bereaved family to offer condolences.
The leaders have assured the family of financial assistance. Minister Rathin Ghosh strongly condemned the incident. He went on to allege that more than 50 people have died in the state in connection with the SIR process, highlighting a potentially wider systemic issue.
