After Kerala, BLO in Rajasthan dies by suicide; family alleges SIR pressure
Brother claims to have found suicide note, in which teacher wrote he was under stress due to SIR duties and that his supervisor was threatening suspension
After Kerala, another government official working as a Booth Level Officer (BLO) has died by suicide in Rajasthan, apparently under intense pressure to complete work under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
Mukesh Jangid (45), a government school teacher in Jaipur, allegedly ended his life on Sunday (November 16), allegedly jumped in front of a train near the Bindayaka railway crossing, Bindayaka SHO Vinod Verma said.
Jangid was posted at the Government Primary School in Nahri ka Bas.
Also read: Kerala school employee dies by suicide; BLO work pressure blamed
His brother, Gajanand, said he had left home on his motorcycle shortly before the incident. Gajanand claimed to have found his brother’s suicide note, in which he allegedly wrote that he was under stress due to SIR duties and that his supervisor was pressuring him and threatening suspension.
He further noted that his brother was on good terms with his family.
Allegations of pressure on BLOs
Jangid’s death has sparked concern among teacher groups, who are alleging growing pressure on field functionaries during the ongoing revision of electoral rolls.
Rajasthan Primary and Secondary Teachers’ Association president Vipin Prakash Sharma said in a statement that the race to top the SIR rankings, at the state, district and subdivision levels, is resulting in excessive pressure on BLOs. He called for focus on quality instead of numbers.
Sharma informed that the association will submit a memorandum to the chief minister on Monday, demanding that officials refrain from putting undue pressure on BLOs, especially at a time when half-yearly school examinations are about to begin.
Kerala and Bengal cases
The Rajasthan incident comes a day after a government school employee, who was working as a BLO, was found hanging in his house in north Kerala’s Kannur district.
Also read: Bengal BLOs protest ‘unreasonable’ work pressure; SIR process keeps getting delayed
Local people and his family members alleged that Aneesh George took the extreme step due to the work pressure in connection with the SIR exercise. George was working as a peon in a government school in Payyannur.
In West Bengal, BLOs have been protesting against tremendous work pressure, especially after Namita Hansda, a 50-year-old anganwadi worker who was assigned BLO duties, died of a stroke on November 9. Her husband claimed she collapsed due to severe stress related to SIR-related work.
(With agency inputs)
(Suicides can be prevented. For help, please call Suicide Prevention Helplines: Neha Suicide Prevention Centre – 044-24640050; Aasara helpline for suicide prevention, emotional support & trauma help — +91-9820466726; Kiran, Mental health rehabilitation — 1800-599-0019, Disha 0471- 2552056, Maithri 0484 2540530, and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)