School teacher attempts to end life, family blames SIR stress
Times of India | 10 February 2026
Kolkata: A booth level officer (BLO) and primary school teacher attempted suicide by hanging himself inside the school office on Monday in Bagdah, North 24 Parganas.
Sarajit Haldar, posted as BLO for Pathuria Part 30 and a teacher at Pathuria Primary School under Bagda block, was found hanging from a ceiling fan by a parent who came to collect a pass certificate around 10.15am. He was rescued and admitted in critical condition to Bongaon Sub-Divisional Hospital.
His family blamed severe mental stress from the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. "He often said, ‘If something happens to me, please look after my son,'" a family member said.
School headmaster Dilip Bala said: "He was working as a BLO. However, I cannot say anything about the exact reason."
Bagda west block Trinamool president Newton Bala said Haldar appeared unable to cope with SIR duties. "He spoke about the pressure earlier. It seems the burden of Election Commission work led him to take this step."
Bongaon organisational district BJP president Bikash Ghosh, however, claimed the attempt was due to family discord and financial debt, not election duties. "He attempted suicide due to family discord and debt pressure," Ghosh said.