Tension has gripped West Bengal once again after the body of Booth Level Officer (BLO) Haradhan Mandal was found hanging inside Rajakata School in Ranibandh on Saturday. Mandal, who was also the headmaster of the school, was in charge of Booth No. 206 of the Ranibandh Assembly constituency.
According to family members, Mandal left home around 9:30 am as usual. Hours later, he was found dead inside a classroom. A suicide note, reportedly recovered from the spot, reads, “I am responsible for this BLO work. No one is involved in this. My mistake… I made a mistake even after fixing everything. Forgive me.”
BLO Protests Escalate Statewide
Following the incident, Trinamool BLOs staged a protest in front of the CEO office carrying Mandal’s photograph, demanding accountability and alleging extreme work pressure under the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SIR) process.
This tragedy comes shortly after the alleged suicide of another BLO, Rinku Tarafdar from Krishnanagar, where a similar note blamed unbearable workload. Several BLOs across the state have previously complained of excessive pressure, illness, and even deaths linked to SIR duties.
Political Leaders Accuses EC, Calls It Politically Motivated
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee reacted sharply, accusing the Election Commission of forcing officers into “inhuman workload” and calling the process politically motivated.
Meanwhile, controversy and anger continue to intensify as demands for relief and systemic reform grow louder.