Hathras BLO Dies Following SIR-Related Stress; Authorities to Support Children’s Education

Hathras Teacher Dies Under SIR Stress, Administration Pledges Education Support for Children

A schoolteacher engaged in Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duties in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district died on Wednesday morning after his health suddenly deteriorated. Local sources said the teacher had been under severe stress due to the workload associated with SIR tasks. He reportedly collapsed on his way to school and passed away while being taken to the hospital.

The incident took place in Brahmanpuri locality of Sikandrarao town. The deceased has been identified as Kamalkant Sharma. His wife stated that he had been experiencing intense mental strain over several days because of the pressure of SIR-related work.

Following the incident, Hathras District Magistrate Atul Vats and the Superintendent of Police visited the family to gather details. Calling the death “unfortunate,” Vats said the exact cause would be confirmed after the autopsy.

The district administration announced that one day’s salary of the deceased will be deposited as a fixed deposit in the names of his four children. Authorities have also assured full support for the education of his children. “We have noted the details of his school-going children and will fund their education for as long as they wish to study,” Vats told the media.

In recent weeks, several Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) have reportedly faced extreme stress due to SIR workload, with some collapsing or dying by suicide. The latest such case before this was reported from Moradabad on Monday.

These incidents have sparked political concern as voter roll revision continues across 12 states, including West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu. The Election Commission of India recently extended the SIR schedule by a week, allowing additional time for voters to verify their details and for BLOs and Booth-Level Agents (BLAs) to submit lists of absent, shifted, deceased, and duplicate voters.