Tragic Incident in Meerut: Election Officer Attempts Suicide Amid Work Pressure

Election Officer's Distressing Situation

In Meerut, a booth-level officer (BLO) engaged in the special intensive revision of the voter list reportedly attempted suicide by ingesting poison due to overwhelming work stress. Following this incident, the officer was admitted to the hospital in critical condition.

After the event, colleagues and the departmental union protested at the hospital, demanding action against the supervising officer involved.

The district administration stated that the exact reasons for the poisoning would be determined after an investigation, which may reveal domestic or other contributing factors.

According to police sources, Mohit Chaudhary, a 35-year-old resident of Murli Pura village in the Mundali police jurisdiction, attempted suicide due to alleged harassment.

The incident occurred late Tuesday night, and he was subsequently transferred from a private hospital on Gadh Road to a more well-known facility.

Family members revealed that Chaudhary, who works as a senior assistant in the irrigation department, was also serving as a BLO in the Pallavpuram area under the SIR campaign. He had been under significant stress due to dual responsibilities and excessive workload for several days.

Family members alleged that Ashish Sharma, a supervisor at the tehsil level, had been persistently pressuring him over the phone regarding work progress, threatening suspension and legal action.

They reported that upon returning home Tuesday night, Mohit consumed pesticide due to mental distress, leading to a rapid deterioration of his condition, necessitating immediate hospitalization.

Chaudhary's wife, Jyoti, mentioned that her husband would leave early in the morning and return late at night, indicating that the workload had become so burdensome that he was unable to eat properly.

Upon learning of the incident, union officials and employees gathered at the hospital, chanting slogans against the supervisor for harassment. They emphasized that BLOs bear the heaviest workload in the SIR campaign, yet face continuous pressure and threats from higher-ups.

The union warned that if no action was taken against the responsible officials, they would initiate protests. In light of the situation, senior officials and police personnel visited the hospital, urging union representatives to maintain peace.

Officials also inquired about Mohit's condition from his family and assured a thorough investigation into the matter. District Magistrate V.K. Singh confirmed on Wednesday morning that the incident of poisoning had occurred and that the officer's condition had improved.

He stated, 'The reasons behind the poisoning will be uncovered during the investigation. Currently, the SIR work is ongoing, which often leads to such situations, but there could also be domestic or other reasons. Preliminary investigations indicate that Chaudhary had completed 72-74% of his work, so it doesn't seem likely that the pressure was excessive. There may be other reasons for the poisoning.'