January 15,2026
Kamal Kumar Biswas
Senior CorrespondentA 31-year-old migrant worker from South Dinajpur died by suicide last week while returning home from Goa, in what his family and local leaders describe as a death driven by fear surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of electoral rolls—an allegation that has ignited a sharp political confrontation in the district.The deceased, Subhash Hemram, a resident of Kamatpara village under Ashokgram Gram Panchayat in the 38-Kumarganj Assembly constituency, had been working as a migrant laborer in Goa to support his family. He was a registered voter at Part No. 61 of the Ashokgram Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar High School polling booth as claimed by his family.
According to family members, Subhash received a hearing notice related to the SIR process, issued by the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) of the Gangarampur block administration. The notice required his presence on January 15. Alarmed, he left Goa on January 11, boarding a train to reach home.On January 13, while the train was halted near Bhubaneswar due to a signal delay, Subhash allegedly got down from the train and died by suicide by hanging, according to the family’s account. His body reached his village on January 15, plunging the household into grief.
Family sources said four members of the Hemram family had received SIR notices: Parav Hemram (60), Amal Hemram (36), Subhash Hemram (31), and Paulish Hemram. The notices, they claim, created intense anxiety within the family.As news of the death spread, leaders and workers of the Trinamool Congress visited the bereaved family. Among them was Mafejuddin Miah, South Dinajpur district general secretary of the party and an RTO Board member, who issued a scathing statement.
“This is not an Election Commission; this has become a commission of persecution,” Mr.Mafejuddin Miah said. “Across places, we are seeing deaths, and today Ashokgram adds another tragic chapter. These are people from the Adivasi community who may not fully understand complex paperwork. The hearing notice forced this young man to rush back from Goa. His co-workers said he lived in constant fear because his name did not appear in the 2002 voter list. Those who voted to form governments are now being pushed toward displacement. We condemn this system and stand firmly with this family.”
Subhash’s father, Parav Hemram, echoed the anguish. “My son went to another state to earn a living. After receiving the SIR hearing notice, he was returning home. Near Bhubaneswar, when the train stopped, my son ended his life,” he said, breaking down.The Bharatiya Janata Party, however, rejected any linkage between the SIR process and the death. Satyendranath Roy, the BJP legislator(MLA) from the Gangarampur Assembly constituency, accused the ruling party of politicizing tragedy.
“Since the start of SIR, the Trinamool Congress has tried to give every death a political color,” Mr.Satyendranath Roy said. “Every death is painful, but spreading fear is irresponsible. There is no reason to panic over the SIR process. Trinamool is doing this to divert attention from its corruption and file scandals.”
The incident has once again placed the SIR exercise under intense scrutiny, with opposition parties(TMC+) alleging intimidation and the ruling party(BJP+) dismissing those claims as political theater. For the Hemram family, however, the debate offers little solace—only unanswered questions about a journey that ended before home could be reached.
0 Comments