In her complaint to the police, Sudhir’s sister Amrita said he had been upset since Sunday after getting information about his alleged suspension. Around 6 a.m. on Tuesday, she alleged that Shivram reached their home and called Sudhir. He told her brother to complete the pending SIR work within the given time, or he would be dismissed from service as instructed by senior officers.

She said Sudhir told him he was caught up with the wedding and would complete the work soon after the rituals were over. However, Shivram was not ready to listen and kept threatening him, Amrita said.

Upset by the alleged threats and coercion, Sudhir Kumar went inside and hanged himself even as Shivram was standing outside. Relatives, busy with wedding arrangements, noticed Sudhir’s absence after an hour.

Sources claimed that the family had initially named the ERO as the prime accused and the kanungo as the co-accused in their complaint, but the police and administration made them change it, leaving only the kanungo named. However, the Additional Superintendent of Police, Fatehpur, denied the allegation.

Similarly, Sarvesh Kumar Gangwar, a resident of Karmachari Nagar in Bareilly and posted as a primary school teacher in Pardhauli village, collapsed inside the school while on duty. He was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead. The primary school teacher was deployed as a BLO. His family alleged that “immense pressure” of work due to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision cost him his life.

His elder brother, Yogesh Gangwar, also a teacher and currently posted as a supervisor in the same exercise, said Sarvesh “was under immense pressure”. “I had met him the day before. He told me he was stressed due to the BLO duty.”

Moreover, two more BLOs, one in Gonda and the other in Lucknow, died due to SIR pressure. While the Gonda teacher consumed poison to end his life, the BLO in Lucknow suffered a brain haemorrhage.

On the other hand, while the Gautam Budh Nagar administration claims the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has picked up with expanded ground support, BLOs working in Noida and Greater Noida highlight a different reality marked by rising workload, long hours of field movement and growing uncertainty after FIRs were lodged against BLO staff earlier this month.

BLOs say the situation on the ground is challenging, especially in densely populated areas where they may have to revisit the same tower three or four times because residents are travelling, flats are locked or documents are not ready.

Some shared their constant anxiety about the possibility of harsh action. They claim there is a constant fear of making a small mistake, “One missed flat, one untraced address and the disciplinary action follows.” The frontline workers describe the environment as “tense” and “high-pressure”.

(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)