Bank Pressure Alleged as BJP Worker Dies by Suicide in Assam’s Katigorah

A BJP worker, Babli Rani Das, allegedly died by suicide at Jagdishpur in Katigorah of Assam’s Cachar district, with her family accusing a bank manager of sustained pressure over the recovery of pension money.

According to the family, Babli Rani Das’s father-in-law was a railway employee who received a pension after retirement. Following his death in 2014, his widow had been receiving the pension and regularly submitted the mandatory life certificate every November. The pension account is maintained at the Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Badarpur.

The family alleged that about 15 days after submitting the life certificate last November, they received a phone call from the bank’s branch manager, who claimed that an excess amount of ₹18 lakh had been wrongly credited to the pension account over time and demanded to return it.

Speaking to the media, the husband of the deceased said he expressed his inability to repay such a large amount. “I told the manager that I am not capable of paying this huge sum of money. Then he told me to return ₹5 lakh and said the issue would be settled,” he alleged.

The family further claimed that they were forced to sell their belongings to arrange ₹5 lakh, which was deposited with the bank. However, despite this payment, the bank manager allegedly froze the account over the remaining amount and continued to pressure the family to repay the balance.

The prolonged financial stress and alleged harassment reportedly took a severe toll on the family. According to the dead woman's husband, the situation created an atmosphere of extreme distress, eventually leading Babli Rani Das to take the drastic step. “This caused a very disappointing period in our family, which resulted in my wife taking the final decision this morning,” he said, alleging that she died by hanging.

Police recovered the body and sent it to Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) for post-mortem examination. Further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is underway.

Also Read: Congress Worker Injured After Falling From Stage at Gaurav Gogoi Rally in Cachar