At BLO’s home over son’s SIR notice, 65-year-old dies of cardiac arrest
Times of India | 26 January 2026
Jalpaiguri: A 65-year-old man, Rahaman Bastadar, died of cardiac arrest at the house of a booth-level officer (BLO) at Pardubi GP in Cooch Behar's Mathabhanga on Saturday, where he had gone after his son was served a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) notice over a spelling mistake.
Rahaman, a resident of Khatebari, had gone to the local BLO's home after his younger son, Aminur, was recently served an SIR notice. After it surfaced that Bastadar had suffered a cardiac arrest, he was rushed to Mathabhanga Subdivisional Hospital where doctors declared him "brought dead".
Rahaman's elder son Hafizul said, "Upon coming to know Aminur got a notice, my father rushed to the BLO's house. He sustained a major attack there and succumbed to it before reaching the hospital."
Local Trinamool netas went to Rahaman's house. Sablu Barman, chairperson of Mathabhanga-II panchayat samiti, held the Election Commission responsible for Rahaman's death.
Meanwhile, a BLO was attacked with sharp weapons at Gitakdaha in Dinhata on Friday evening. Manowar Hussein, BLO of 6/272 booth in Sitai assembly constituency, was visiting homes of SIR notice recipients when two miscreants hit him on the head with sharp objects.
Hearing his screams, locals came to his rescue and managed to nab one of the alleged attackers — Rahid Haque, while another managed to flee.
The BLO, who is receiving treatment at Dinhata hospital, said, "150 people in my booth got SIR notices. Only five were left to be delivered. I was out to complete the job when I was attacked." Police have initiated a probe.