Rickshaw-puller attempts suicide as his name was not in 2002 electoral rolls in West Bengal
KOLKATA: A 64-year-old rickshaw-puller on Wednesday night attempted suicide, reportedly owing to depression after his name was not in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the 2002 electoral rolls in West Bengal. The incident occurred near the CCR Bridge at Belghoria Railway station in North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday night when the rickshaw-puller Ashok Sarder, a resident of Kamarhati Municipality area, jumped onto the railway track and sustained severe injury. He was rushed to the state-run R G Kar Medical College Hospital in critical condition. Ashoks family members alleged that he was suffering from depression after he couldnt find his name on the SIR in 2002, but his mothers name was there in the voter list. The spelling of his mothers name was also wrong in the last electoral roll revision list. He was desperately looking for documents so that he could include his name during the ongoing SIR process this time, and was psychologically upset, they alleged. Mamata slams ECI after one more BLO dies by suicide in West Bangal; alleges 'unbearable SIR pressure' There have been regular complaints of deaths of voters and booth-level officers (BLO) allegedly triggered by either suicides or severe cardiac arrests and cerebral attacks in Bengal since the announcement of the SIR exercise was made in the state. A female BLO who was an Anganwadi in Jalpaiguri died by suicide in Jalpaiguri district in the state, allegedly because of relentless work pressure in connection with rigorous SIR duty. The incident took place hardly 10 days after another BLO in East Burdwan on 9 November died of a cerebral attack allegedly triggered by the tremendous workload due to the ongoing electoral roll revision drive. With reports of these suicidal and normal deaths and suicide attempts, both ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition BJP got involved in attacks and counterattacks with each other for the past several weeks. Hours after the BLOs death on Wednesday, the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came down heavily on the Election Commission of India (ECI), saying lives are lost due to work pressure and stress generated by the SIR process in the state. She urged the commission to immediately halt this unplanned drive before more lives are lost. The saffron camp alleged that the ruling party has been spreading an atmosphere of panic among common people through regular negative campaigns against the SIR process. (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)
BLO dies by suicide due to work pressure in WB, CM Mamata Banerjee demands ECI to halt SIR exercise
KOLKATA: A Booth Level Officer (BLO), Shanti Muni Ekka, a resident of Rangamati panchayat, died by suicide on Wednesday in West Bengal, allegedly due to tremendous work pressure in connection with the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State. Hours after the BLOs death, the CM Mamata Banerjee came down heavily on the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that precious lives are lost due to work pressure and stress generated by the SIR process. She urged the Commission to immediately halt this unplanned drive before more lives are lost. This incident comes hardly 10 days after a BLO in East Burdwan on 9 November died of a cerebral attack allegedly triggered by relentless work pressure during the ongoing electoral roll revision drive. Deeply shocked and saddened. Today again, we lost a Booth Level Officer in Mal, Jalpaiguri Smt Shanti Muni Ekka, a tribal lady, an anganwadi worker who took her own life under the unbearable pressure of the ongoing SIR work. 28 people have already lost their lives since SIR Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 19, 2025 The deceased, identified as Namita Hansda, was an Anganwadi worker and had been assigned as the BLO for Booth No. 278 in Chak Balarampur, Memari. Shanti Muni Ekka was engaged as a BLO in the rural belt, committed suicide by hanging in a tree close to her residence, according to police. Her body has been sent to the police morgue for postmortem examination. Family members of the deceased alleged that she could not bear the work pressure because of rigorous duty-related distributions and collections of enumeration forms during door-to-door visits to voters. She was suffering from depression as the SIR duty became unbearable to her, they alleged. Mamata slammed the national poll body on her X handle post this afternoon, saying, Today, once again, we lost a Booth Level Officer in Mal, Jalpaiguri Smt Shanti Muni Ekka, a tribal lady, an anganwadi worker who took her own life under the unbearable pressure of the ongoing SIR work. 28 people have already lost their lives since SIR began some due to fear and uncertainty, others due to stress and overload. Precious lives are being lost due to the unplanned, relentless workload imposed by the so-called Election Commission of India. A process that earlier took three years is now being forced into two months on the eve of elections to please political masters, putting inhuman pressure on BLOs. I urge the ECI to act with conscience and immediately halt this unplanned drive before more lives are lost, she added. The state OBC minister, Buluchik Baraik, visited the bereaved family members of the deceased BLO.
Indian Railways starts playing Chhath songs at over 100 stations across nation
NEW DELHI: Ahead of Bihars Chhath festival, Indian Railways has introduced a unique arrangement of playing popular folk songs dedicated to the Chhath festival at over 100 prominent stations across the country. In the first phase, this initiative has been implemented at 30 different stations, where announcements of train departures or arrivals pause for a while. During these intervals, folk songs sung by well-known singers such as Sharda Sinha, Nitu Kumari Navgeet, Vindyavasni Devi and others are played when no train information is being broadcast over the automated announcement system. The Railways has started playing Chhatha songs at more than 30 stations in Bihar, including Patna, Danapur, Hajipur, Bhagalpur, Jamalpur, Sonepur and others. Similar arrangements for playing Chhatha songs have also been made at New Delhi, Ghaziabad and Anand Vihar Terminal, which are now witnessing heavy footfall of passengers travelling to Bihar and other Hindi-speaking states for the festival. Confirming this to the newspaper, ED (I&P) Dileep Kumar of the Ministry of Railways said on Friday, Indian Railways has started broadcasting Chhatha songs at railway stations on the auspicious occasion of Chhatha Puja. The aim of this initiative is to connect the passengers with the auspicious spirit of the festival and make their journey more pleasant. This has been launched at almost all those stations that now witness large numbers of Bihar-bound passengers travelling for the Chhatha festival across the country. Savita Kumari, a passenger travelling from Kolkata to Patna with her family members for the Chhatha festival, said These devotional songs being played at railway stations during Chhatha Puja surcharge the ambience of station with religious festivity for the devotees, who either remain in wait to take trains or boarding in trains. A senior railway official told the newspaper that the Chhatha folk songs being played make passengers feel the fragrance of their home and culture, thereby infusing devotion and joy into their journey even when they remain away from their states. Begun on Friday, the initiative through the automatic announcement system will continue for several days after the end of Chhatha, covering the period when passengers make their return journeys. Others stations such as Banaras, Gorakhpur and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, Kolkata, Burdwan, Durgapur and Asansol in West Bengal, as well as Ludhiana and Amritsar in Punjab, are among the hundreds of stations where this initiative has been introduced. Currently, Indian Railways is operating more than 12,000 special train trips to manage the surge of passengers travelling from across the country to states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where the Chhatha festival is celebrated on a large scale.
Elderly woman swept away by Damodar river rescued 45 km downstream in West Bengal
KOLKATA: In what locals have described as a miraculous escape, a 65-year-old woman who was swept away by the swollen Damodar river was rescued nearly 45 km downstream in West Bengal, police said. The incident occurred at Jakta village in the Rayna area of Purba Bardhaman district, where the river was in spate following heavy rainfall and water discharge from the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) dams, a senior police officer confirmed. Maturi Tudu had gone to bathe in the Damodar river alone. She was swept away by strong currents caused by the DVC's water release and continuous rains, the officer said. With the joint efforts of police and local villagers, Tudu was found and rescued 4550 km downstream. She was initially taken to Jamalpur Rural Hospital, where doctors noted that she had fallen ill due to prolonged exposure to water. She was later shifted to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital for further treatment. I went to bathe in the river on Sunday afternoon and was swept away. I somehow managed to hold onto something until villagers rescued me, Tudu recounted. Jamalpur Block Trinamool Congress president Mehemud Khan said the elderly woman was handed over to her family after police verified her identity. She survived purely by luck, he remarked.
Rail Teka Dahar Chheka Movement: Kurmi community halts trains in Jharkhand demanding ST status
RANCHI: The Kurmi community on Saturday launched a statewide Rail Teka Dahar Chheka (Train and Road Blocked) Movement across Jharkhand to press its long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for them. The protest was announced under the banner of the Adivasi Kurmi community, which also has the support of the entire Kurmi Committee and some political parties like AJSU. Acting on a call by the Adivasi Kurmi Community, protesters, dressed in traditional attire, have taken to the railway tracks since morning, accompanied by drums and cymbals. Protesters sat on the tracks in Giridih, Chakradharpur, Jamtara, and Bokaro, stopping trains. In wake of the protests, Section 144 has already been imposed at four railway stations in Ranchi. The Kurmi community had plans to stop trains at 100 stations in Jharkhand, Bengal, and Odisha, including 40 in Jharkhand. Protesters have also taken to the tracks at stations like Muri, Tatisilwai, and Mesra, adjacent to the capital, Ranchi. To deal with the protesters, 500 RPF personnel have been deployed at the Muri station. Acting on a call by the Adivasi Kurmi Community, protesters gathered in large numbers at several railway stations early morning, squatting on the tracks and halting train operations. Similar blockades were seen in Bokaro, Ranchi, and Giridih, where protesters took control of smaller railway stations, in some places as early as 4.00 am. In wake of the protests, Section 144 has already been imposed at four railway stations in Ranchi. Despite barricading efforts by the police in Kurmi-dominated areas through Friday night, the protests went ahead largely unhindered. According to a bulletin issued by South Eastern Railway, the agitation was staged at Bhanjpur station of Kharagpur division from 5.02 am to 5.35 am, while protests still continue between Sini and Birbans in Chakradharpur division. Agitation in Dhanbad division of East Central Railway has also led to regulation of trains within SERs jurisdiction. Due to the ongoing protests, train services have been badly hit across Jharkhand, West Bengal, and adjoining regions. Railway officials said efforts are on to normalize services, but disruption is likely to continue as the agitation intensifies. Several trains were cancelled or rescheduled due to the agitation. Train No. 13504 HatiaBurdwan MEMU Express and Train No. 18036 HatiaKharagpur MEMU were cancelled. Train No. 13351 DhanbadAlappuzha Express, scheduled to depart at 11.35 am, will now leave Dhanbad at 6.35 pm. Train No. 18613 RanchiChopan Express will run via RanchiTori instead of its usual RanchiMuriBarkakana route. Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JKLM) chief and MLA Jairam Mahato has extended his support to the movement, stating that the agitation was also linked to issues such as recognition of the Kurmali language and protection of land rights. Notably, the Kurmi communitys push for ST status has intensified in recent years. The first major protest began in 2022 and continued for nine days.
Bihar police on high alert as three LeT terrorists infiltrate state ahead of assembly polls
PATNA: The State Police Headquarters has issued a high-alert across Bihar following specific intelligence inputs that three suspected operatives of the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) have infiltrated the state through the Nepal border and may be planning to disrupt the upcoming assembly elections. The identified individuals are Hasnain Ali (from Rawalpindi, Pakistan), Adil Hussain (Umarkot, Pakistan), and Mohammad Usman (Bahawalpur, Pakistan). Intelligence reports indicate that the trio arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal, in the second week of August and successfully crossed into the Indian territory in Bihar during the third week. Authorities believe they were aided by a local Nepali resident. In response, districts along the vulnerable India-Nepal border have been placed on maximum alert. Detailed descriptions of the suspects have been circulated to all police units to aid in their apprehension. The alert gains further urgency following a recent arrest in the region. On September 5, Nazre Saddam, a resident of Barahpur in Bhagalpur district, was arrested in Motihari, East Champaran, for his involvement in circulating high-quality Indian counterfeit currency. This has raised concerns that the terror module may be seeking to finance its operations. We have launched an intensive search operation against the suspected LeT operatives. All precautionary measures are being taken to ensure security in the region, especially with the elections approaching, stated a senior police officer. Suspected LeT agent arrested by NIA in Bihars Gopalganj This incident is not an isolated one for Bihar, which has emerged as a transit point for terrorist activities in recent years. In 2020, Ezaz Yusuf Lakdawala, a key aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was arrested in Patna. Furthermore, in 2019, Ezaz Ahmad alias Amir, an operative linked to the Bangladesh-based Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB), was apprehended in Gaya. Amir was a prime suspect in the 2014 Burdwan blast and was also connected to a low-intensity explosion at Bodh Gaya in 2018. Adding to the pattern, on March 19 of this year, two JMB members from Bangladesh, Khairul Mandal and Abu Sultan, were arrested near Patna Junction, with Islamic State (IS) propaganda materials recovered from their possession. The police have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately, assuring that all efforts are underway to neutralize the threat and ensure peaceful elections
10 Pilgrims Dead, 35 injured As Bus Rams Truck Parked On Roadside In West Bengal
Ten pilgrims from Bihar died and 35 others were injured as their bus rammed into a truck parked on the roadside in West Bengal's Burdwan town on Friday, officials said.
Ten pilgrims from Bihar tragically died, and 35 others were injured when their bus collided with a parked truck in Burdwan, West Bengal. The pilgrims, returning from Gangasagar, were from Motihari in East Champaran district.
10 pilgrims from Bihar killed, 35 injured as bus rams into truck in West Bengal's Burdwan
The pilgrims, who belonged to Motihari in Bihar's East Champaran district, were returning home after visiting Gangasagar in South 24 Parganas district
Is arrested model-actress Shanta a Bangladeshi spy? Police investigates
KOLKATA: Activities of Bangladeshi model and actress Shanta Pal, who has been arrested in Kolkata, are reminiscent of the activities of Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested on suspicion of being a Pakistani spy, police sources said. Shanta lived a luxurious life as Jyoti. She too travelled to many places in India, including the Nathula Pass, near the China border in Sikkim which raised suspicion about her, a Kolkata Police official said. Jyoti Malhotra is accused of spying for Pakistan. Is Shanta doing the same for Bangladesh? We have been trying to ascertain this in the investigation, the official added. According to police sources, Shanta Pal, a Bangladeshi citizen, came to India in 2023. Since then, she has been staying here. Both her visa and passport have expired. Bangladeshi model-actress held in Kolkata with Indian documents According to police sources, after questioning Shanta and searching her social media pages, it was found that she had become a consultant for others to obtain visas to India. After the upheaval in Bangladesh last year, when the situation between India and Bangladesh made it difficult for Bangladeshi citizens to get Indian tourist visas, Shanta had advised many of them to apply for medical visas. The investigators are checking how many people took her help to get Indian medical visas. Shanta, who has been residing in India, also used to live a colourful life. According to police sources, the Bangladeshi model-actress travelled from Digha in West Bengal to Gangtok in Sikkim and posted pictures and videos on social media. She even reached the Nathula Pass near the China border to create a travel vlog. According to police sources, Shanta was promoting her tourism business through a social media page called Asan Travels Kolkata and Bangladesh. Additionally, investigators are also investigating if she took a loan from an Indian state-owned bank to open a hotel, based on her Facebook post. On Wednesday, the Kolkata Police arrested Shanta in a fraud case from the Bikramgarh area in south Kolkata. She lived there in a rented flat with her parents and husband. The police recovered an Indian voter card, PAN card, and Aadhaar cards of two addresses, one in Kolkata and the other in Burdwan, issued in her name. The police have also recovered a Bangladeshi passport and Bangladesh Airways employee card from her possession. She used to work as a cabin crew for Bangladesh Airways. An admit card for Bangladesh's secondary examination has also been found.
Bangladeshi model-actress held in Kolkata with Indian documents
KOLKATA: A Bangladeshi model-actress, Shanta Pal, was arrested in Kolkata after Indian voter ID, PAN card, and Aadhaar card were recovered from her rented flat in Bikramgarh. Following a written complaint filed in the Park Street police station, sleuths searched the flat and recovered the documents. This arrest assumes significance, especially when various states have launched a drive to identify and detain the Bangladeshi people, who have been living in India illegally. Following detention, many of them have also been pushed back to Bangladesh by the BSF. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, blamed the Centre for their illegal entry into India and alleged that Bengali migrant workers have been harassed and tortured in various BJP-ruled states for speaking in Bengali. According to Kolkata Police officials, an Aadhaar card was issued in Shanta Pals name in 2020 using an address in Burdwan. During the search, police also recovered a Bangladeshi passport, a Bangladesh Airways employee ID card and an admit card for Bangladeshs secondary school examination. She is being interrogated to find out how, being a Bangladeshi citizen she managed to get Aadhaar, PAN and voter cards and from where. Who helped her to get all these documents. Her various social media posts are also being investigated, a police official said on Thursday. She won the Miss Asia Global Bangladesh beauty pageant title, organised by an organisation in Bangladesh. A few days ago, the model-actress also filed a complaint of fraud at the Thakurpukur police station. It is learnt that Shanta was born in 1998. Her parents lived with her in the Bikramgarh flat. They are also being investigated by the police. Shantas husband is a resident of Andhra Pradesh. The investigators have been trying to ascertain how Shanta came in contact with him before marriage.
