Inquiry ordered into suicide by woman declared foreigner by FT

 A Correspondent

DHUBRI, April 13: Dhubri Deputy Commissioner, Anant Lal Gyani ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death of woman of Dhubri town who allegedly committed suicide after being declared as foreigner by Foreigners’ Tribunal in 2017. She had been suffering mental pressure since last year and was evading arrest by police. After finding no other way out, she allegedly committed suicide. Gyani announced inquiry into the death while addressing a meet with leading citizens at his official conference hall on Thursday. The inquiry will be conducted by Dhubri Additional Deputy Commissioner, Enamul Hussain. He will inquire into the circumstances leading to her death and submit his report soon.

 In the meeting, at the request of leading citizens, Gyani agreed upon to open a cell for D-voters for necessary information, advice and other aid.

Leading citizens, including president of Assam Lawyers’ Association, NI Choudhury, vice-president Dr Debamoy Sanyal also urged upon the Deputy Commissioner to provide legal aid free of cost as most of D-Voters were financially weak and it was extremely difficult for them to pursue case in the tribunal. Lawyers, however, agreed to extend all legal aid free of cost if they were approached in written by a competent  authority, a lawyer said.

 In order to clear confusion and doubts from the minds of people, it was resolved in the meeting to organize series of meetings at the village-level to create awareness on the ongoing Type 3 NRC verification of documents. On the other hand, suicide incident by a woman sent shock waves in the district, and the district administration was quick to announce magisterial inquiry to find out the circumstances which led the woman to commit suicide.

 Police sources said that Saimun Bibi (45), wife of Khairul Islam of Station Road of Dhubri town, reportedly during examination and submission in the Foreigners’ Tribunal Court failed to submit document to prove her Indian citizenship. But her family sources said that in fact land documents were submitted but they were not entertained in the court. The documents of land procured from Muzaffarpur district of Bihar were written in Hindi.

 “The document of land was not given weightage and she was declared foreigner, after this she was shattered mentally and ran from one place to other to evade arrest. She got totally frustrated and ended her life,” sources said. However, the inquiry ordered by Dhubri Deputy Commissioner will reveal the truth behind it as all the papers will be scrutinized and re-examined thoroughly.