A deeply tragic incident unfolded in West Bengal’s Malda district, where a school teacher was compelled to attend an Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing after losing his wife and infant son in a road accident while travelling to the hearing centre.
Md. Yasin Ansari, a resident of Khardahil in Gazole police station area and a teacher at Sujapur Naimouza High Madrasa in Kaliachak, had been summoned for SIR hearing along with his wife due to an alleged spelling error in their names. The teacher lived with his family in Sujapur owing to his professional commitments.
“We were on our way to our home in order to reach the SIR hearing booth, where me and my deceased wife were asked to appear. On our way, our vehicle met with an accident where I lost my wife and child but that was no respite for me. I did have to come for the SIR while my beloved wife and child lay in hospital morgue,” Yasin Ansari said.
On the way to the hearing, Ansari, accompanied by his wife Halima Khatun, their nine-month-old son Arif Hasan, and another child, was travelling by a toto (battery-operated vehicle) to Ambazar to board a bus. Near the Sustani area, the toto reportedly lost control and overturned. Halima Khatun died on the spot, while the infant succumbed to injuries at the hospital.
Despite the devastating loss, Ansari had to leave the bodies of his wife and son at the Malda Medical College and Hospital morgue and rush to the hearing centre to comply with official requirements. The incident has left the district in shock.
Abdur Rahman Ansari, the deceased woman’s brother, stated that the couple had been travelling toward Malda for the hearing after receiving notice. He expressed anguish, suggesting that had they not been required to attend the hearing, the accident might have been avoided. He described the incident as extremely tragic and heartbreaking.
“My sister and brother-in-law received a SIR hearing notice on Thursday and were asked to appear for the same on Saturday. They had to board a bus. They took a battery operated rickshaw to reach the bus stop and met with an accident. Despite the tragic accident, my brother-in-law had to appear for the SIR summon. His wife and the little baby are in the hospital morgue as he complied to the call at the hearing booth,” Abdur Rahman said.
The incident has sparked political reactions. District Youth Trinamool Congress president Prasenjit Das termed the occurrence deeply painful and raised questions about the processes that compelled the family to travel for the hearing. He expressed condolences and criticised the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
