Siliguri, January 06 (Siliguri Chronicle) – A 77-year-old man fell ill on Monday while attending a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing at Netaji Boys’ High School in Siliguri, raising concerns over the difficulties faced by elderly citizens during such verification processes.
The man, identified as Himangshu Mohan Das, had earlier served in a government job in Arunachal Pradesh and has been a permanent resident of Siliguri since 2007. He was summoned for the hearing after his name was found missing from the 2002 West Bengal voter list.
According to sources present at the venue, Das suddenly became unwell during the hearing. Local councillors, officials and other attendees immediately came forward to assist him.
His daughter, Chaitali Das Banik, later said that despite her father’s illness, the hearing was completed and those present showed empathy and cooperation. She also suggested that authorities should consider arranging home-based hearings for elderly and ailing individuals to prevent such incidents.
Following the incident, Siliguri Ward No. 20 Councillor Abhaya Basu visited Das’s residence to inquire about his health. He expressed concern over the challenges senior citizens face while attending such official hearings and called for more considerate arrangements for the elderly.
