Middle-aged woman dies by suicide; SIR panic says TMC
The Statesman | 8 November 2025
Acting on information, police at Sheoraphuli broke open the door of a house in the Garbagan area after suspecting something unusual and found the body of a middle-aged woman, Biti Das (49), hanging inside. The body was recovered and sent for post-mortem examination.
According to locals, the victim was married and had a son. Last night, she reportedly had an altercation with her husband, after which he left the house with their son. Deeply disturbed by the incident, she is believed to have taken the extreme step of ending her life.
Upon receiving the news, Chapdani MLA and Hooghly Serampore organisational district Trinamul Congress president Arindam Guin, Baidyabati Municipality chairman Pintu Mahato, and the local Congress councillor of Ward No. 7 visited the spot.
Mr Guin alleged that the victim’s name was missing from the 2002 voters’ list. “She had approached party workers several times in panic, seeking assurance that she would not be evicted from her home, where she had been living for more than three decades. I, along with the Baidyabati chairman and the local councillor, repeatedly assured her that no one had the right to force her out. We even promised that if any such attempt was made, we would form a human barricade around her and take legal steps. It is truly heart-rending to see her end her life in such an unnatural manner,” he said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly raised her voice against SIR panic-related deaths. Mr Guin alleged that the BJP had resorted to “mean politics” and was trying to create unrest and panic among common people to disrupt the ongoing progress and development work in the state.
However, BJP district leader Swapan Pal countered the claim, saying: “The TMC is unnecessarily trying to create panic among people over SIR. For every death, they are attempting to give it the colour of an SIR panic death.”
Dr Pradeep Das, president of the Serampore branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), said: “It is unfortunate that both the ruling and opposition parties are unnecessarily engaging in conflicting and contradictory debates over SIR. Such an unconstitutional approach by political parties is creating fear and confusion among the public. Long-term illness and lack of proper medical care can lead to natural deaths, while excessive mental stress, family disputes, and personal conflicts can result in unnatural deaths. There is no doubt that the Election Commission is capable of resolving all confusions and restoring public confidence.”