A man in his early 50s died in the Jalangi area of West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Tuesday morning, with his family alleging that severe mental stress caused by a notice linked to the Special Intensive Revision process led to his death, police officials said.
The deceased has been identified as Akshat Ali Mondal, a resident of Nawdapara village. According to family members, Mondal became extremely anxious after receiving a notice that allegedly mentioned an incorrect number of children, stating that he had more than six sons.
Mondal lived alone in the village, while his five sons work outside the state and abroad. Four of them are employed in Kerala and one works in Saudi Arabia.
A family member said the notice created panic and fear in Mondal’s mind. “He was very worried about how he would bring his sons back, appear before the authorities and arrange all the required documents. After receiving the notice, his health deteriorated rapidly,” the family member said.
Mondal reportedly fell ill within a few days of receiving the notice and was taken to Sadikhardiyar Rural Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
His wife, Sarifa Bibi, said the notice arrived around three days before his death and that her husband remained under constant stress since then. “He could not sleep properly and kept worrying about the notice and the hearing,” she said.
Family sources said that while the four sons working in Kerala had booked tickets to return home for the scheduled hearing on January 27, the son working abroad would not be able to attend.
Local panchayat pradhan Mahabul Islam alleged that incorrect information in the notice played a major role in Mondal’s distress. “The mention of the wrong number of sons created unnecessary fear and pressure on him,” he said.
The incident has led to unrest in the area, with local residents questioning how such notices are being issued and verified. State Youth Congress secretary Yusuf Ali termed the incident “inhuman” and demanded a thorough investigation to fix responsibility.
Locals have urged the administration to follow a more sensitive and humane approach while issuing SIR-related notices so that ordinary people are not pushed into fear and distress.
