South Bengal in Chaos: SIR Hearings Spark Vandalism, Protests, and Tensions

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KOLKATA: Tensions ran high in South Bengal on Tuesday as mobs vandalized two block development officer (BDO) offices, sparking widespread protests and violence. The attacks came as a result of allegations that election officials were harassing people during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearings for the state's electoral roll. According to police, groups of people stormed the BDO offices in Sandeshkhali-I in North 24 Parganas and Basanti in South 24 Parganas, damaging furniture, computers, and documents. The incidents occurred despite the Supreme Court's directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to make the process transparent, accessible, and voter-friendly. The attacks were not isolated, with large groups of people blocking roads at multiple locations, including Maheshtala and Dholahat in South 24 Parganas, Polba in Hooghly, and Barasat in North 24 Parganas. Demonstrations were also staged in Jhargram and Purba Medinipur districts against the SIR exercise. Local residents claimed that the officials' conduct led to the outburst of anger, with some people expressing frustration over not receiving acknowledgement slips for submitting required documents. The incidents come a day after the Supreme Court issued directions to the ECI to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded from the electoral roll. Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders accused the election officials of not following the top court's directions, while Bengal BJP leader Sajal Ghosh claimed that the attacks were orchestrated by the TMC government to create an atmosphere of terror and panic. This is the second instance of vandalism in the region, following similar incidents last week in Farakka, Murshidabad, and Chakulia, North Dinajpur. The situation remains tense, with the state's director general of Police (DGP) personally responsible for ensuring that the process is completed smoothly.