Kolkata Tragedy: Man dies by suicide over fears of deportation despite having valid documents
In a heartbreaking turn of events in Kolkata, a 63-year-old man took his own life consumed by anxiety over potential deportation to Bangladesh under India national register of citizens under India’s national register of citizens (NRC). his family insists he fled Dhaka in 1972, settled in the city since childhood, and possessed all required documents proving his Indian citizenship, including a Voter ID.
Dilip Kumar Saha, who passed away, used to live in Regent Park, Anandapally West, with his wife, son, and daughter-in law. He worked as a non-teaching staff at a private school in Dhakuria and had been living in the city for more than 40 years. Even though there wasn’t any official word from the NRC, his family noticed he got super into the news and all the rumors about NRC and the Special intensive revisions (SIR) stuff.
For context, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a government initiative to document all legal Indian citizens. It aims to detect and remove illegal immigrants, particularly those suspected to have entered from Bangladesh. While it was officially implemented in Assam in 2019, the idea of expanding it to other states like West Bengal has created widespread fear, especially among communities with a history of migration. Even people with decades-old documentation have grown anxious due to unclear procedures and misinformation.
Saha was discovered hanging in his son’s locked room on the morning of August 3 after multiple calls went unanswered. The doors were forced open by the family members who met with the tragic sight. A sucide note was recovered from the sight in which he said no one is responsible for his death. Police have registered a case and is investigating further
Friends and neighbours say Saha had been suffering from depression and neurological alignments over the past two years which were worsened due to NRC. His wife, Arati, and daughter-in-law noted that recent media reports and discussions about NRC-related detentions in other states had amplified his anxiety.