BLO suffers brain-stroke and hospitalised in Raiganj, family blames it on SIR work pressure

A school teacher working as a Booth Level Officer (BLO) in Raiganj, Uttar Dinajpur district collapsed on duty and suffered a serious cerebral stroke due to extreme work pressure from the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. Krishnapada Sarkar, a primary school teacher at Goyaldaha Jugiamam Primary School, was suddenly taken ill while distributing and collecting SIR enumeration forms at booth number 206 of Raiganj Mahesho NM High Madrasa.

He was rushed to Raiganj Medical College and Hospital where doctors confirmed a brain stroke and admitted him in critical condition. His family said that he had repeatedly begged senior officers to relieve him from BLO duty as the sleepless nights and constant tension were too much for him to handle. He even submitted written applications for exemption, but nothing happened, family members blames the non-stop work of SIR forms distribution, QR code scanning and online uploading for pushing him over the edge.

This is the latest in a series of similar incidents across West Bengal where BLOs, mostly teachers and government staff, are falling sick or breaking down under pressure. The incident has once again highlighted the heavy toll SIR work is taking on ground-level workers. Similarly, a woman BLO was found hanging in Malbazar and another teacher-BLO in Konnagar suffered a stroke on duty as well. Education bodies and teachers’ unions are demanding immediate relief measures and extra manpower so that no more lives are put at risk for routine election work.