Assam Man Dies by Suicide During Legal Battle To Prove His Indian Citizenship

Das' daughter has claimed that he had all valid legal identity documents such as PAN card and Aadhaar card.

Image of Assam map and NRC illustration used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Arnica Kala/The Quint) 

(If you are suicidal or know anyone in distress, reach out on the numbers of local emergency services, helplines, and mental health NGOs here.)

A 60-year-old man named Manik Das from Assam's Morigaon district, who was fighting to prove his Indian citizenship at a Foreigners Tribunal despite his name appearing in the National Register of Citizens (NRC), has allegedly died by suicide, officials said on Wednesday, 2 February, news agency PTI reported.

Das had a small business at the Jagi road dry fish market in Morigaon district. Das’ family from Borkhal village has claimed that he ended his life due to the “frustration and mental torture” he faced while attending the proceedings at the Tribunal to prove his Indian citizenship.

Das’s minor daughter said, "The case has been going on for many years. We don't know why the police sent a notice to him and filed the case. My father's name appeared in the NRC. He was frustrated and faced mental torture due to the entire process," PTI reported.

The Assam border police had filed a reference case against Das suspecting him to be a "foreigner" in 2004.

Fifteen years later, the Foreigners Tribunal issued a notice to Das on 20 November 2019, months after the Assam NRC was published in August 2019, wherein Das and his family’s name were included, NDTV reported.

Further, Das' daughter claimed that he had all valid legal identity documents such as PAN card, Aadhaar card and land records in his name.

Das' son Kartik told NDTV, "The notice was sent to him after the NRC was published and all our names appeared in Assam NRC. We don't know why the police sent a notice to him and filed the case. My father's name appeared in the NRC. He was frustrated and faced mental torture due to the entire process. If those who had made it to Assam NRC are considered as foreigners or Bangladeshi then what is the use of conducting the NRC."

Meanwhile, the police said that Das went missing on Sunday and his body was found on Tuesday evening.

The deceased is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

Disputing the family’s claims, Morigaon Deputy Superintendent of Police (Border) D R Bora, said that family issues could have driven Das to take the extreme step.

"It is totally wrong to link the alleged suicide with the FT case. The cause of suicide might be household issues," he told PTI.

(With inputs from PTI and NDTV.)