. BEHRAMPORE/SHAMSHERGANJ: Around midnight on the eve of polling in Murshidabad, cops visited the homes of many voters struck off under SIR, warning them not to go near booths on Thursday. On poll day, many defied those warnings and turned up to protest their exclusion.Clutching his voter ID, Aadhaar and documents, Behrampore toto driver Imtiaz Khan (41) stood outside a booth, pleading with central forces to let him meet officials. “I submitted my documents and attended hearings five times. I have been voting for 20 years. My family is voting, but I can’t,” he said.Somnath Kangsabanik, a cook, said five of 13 in his family were deleted. “Still, I have come — this is my protest.”At Qutubpur, businessman Waquar Ali Mirza, whose name was missing, urged others to vote. “I submitted all my documents. Now, I want to ensure others vote against SIR,” he said.The sense of exclusion cut across generations. Syed Reza Ali Meerza (82), who traces his lineage to Mir Jafar, planned a protest but stayed back after advice from the police.Shamsherganj, with over 90,000 deletions, saw similar scenes. Outside a booth in Digri, nearly 300 people stood silently with voter cards they couldn’t use. Ironically, the constituency recorded close to 95% polling.In Jafrabad, a Hindu-majority pocket surrounded by Muslim-dominated neighbourhoods — kin of victims of last year’s violence voted, calling it “revenge through the ballot”. “We want justice,” said Parul Das, whose husband and son were killed.About the AuthorTamaghna BanerjeeTamaghna Banerjee, a reporter from Kolkata, covers crime, aviation, human rights and politics. He has a keen interest in human interest and rural reporting. He has done his postgraduation in journalism and mass communication. He has a total of 14 years in journalism.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Uninformed, Inappropriate’: India Responds To Trump’s ‘Hell-hole’ Comment‘In Touch With Iran’: MEA Confirms Indian Crew Safe After Hormuz FiringViolent Clashes Mar Bengal Phase 1 Voting As Tamil Stars Contribute To 82% TurnoutFrance Waives Airport Transit Visa For Indian Nationals, Boosts Travel EaseTop Military Leadership Of India And US Engage To Discuss Common Concerns In The Indo-pacificEx-Domestic Worker Arrested in Delhi IIT Graduate Murder; Linked to Alwar CaseTrump Sparks Outrage After Reposting ‘Hellholes’ Remark on India, China Amid Citizenship DebateUS Congressman Urges Pakistan To Act Against LeT, JeM; Renews Focus On Cross-Border TerrorWest Bengal Poll Violence: Blast In Murshidabad Injures Multiple During VotingVijay Writes To EC Seeking Poll Extension Amid 17.69% Early Turnout In Tamil Nadu123Photostories10 beautiful baby girl names that mean grace and eleganceTop 5 footballers influencing men’s fashion right now7 air-purifying plants for terrace gardensAre you using the right spoon? Here’s what each type of spoon is actually designed forGarad to Tangail: 5 underrated textiles from West Bengal you need to knowRoyal birthdays in May 2026: List of upcoming birthdays of Royals across the worldExclusive – Parth Samthaan on Mahid’s popularity, Sehar Hone Ko Hai and work-life balance: ‘We never tried to create controversy or show religion as propaganda’7 ways to make your first home feel right—cozy, functional, and personalMeghan Markle to Katy Perry: Ultimate celebrity backyards that serve as private hideawaysTop 5 elite residential neighbourhoods in Lucknow for end-users and investors123Hot PicksBengal Election 2026UP Board Class 10 result 2026Bengal election dos and don’tsTamil Nadu pollsSIR ProtestTN election dos and don’tsBank Holidays AprilTop TrendingWest Bengal electionTamil Nadu electionDianna RussiniNFL TradeTaylor SwiftMike VrabelUPMSP 12th ResultAnna KournikovasDNA TestIPL Orange Cap
BEHRAMPORE/SHAMSHERGANJ: Around midnight on the eve of polling in Murshidabad, cops visited the homes of many voters struck off under SIR, warning them not to go near booths on Thursday. On poll day, many defied those warnings and turned up to protest their exclusion.Clutching his voter ID, Aadhaar and documents, Behrampore toto driver Imtiaz Khan (41) stood outside a booth, pleading with central forces to let him meet officials. “I submitted my documents and attended hearings five times. I have been voting for 20 years. My family is voting, but I can’t,” he said.Somnath Kangsabanik, a cook, said five of 13 in his family were deleted. “Still, I have come — this is my protest.”At Qutubpur, businessman Waquar Ali Mirza, whose name was missing, urged others to vote. “I submitted all my documents. Now, I want to ensure others vote against SIR,” he said.The sense of exclusion cut across generations. Syed Reza Ali Meerza (82), who traces his lineage to Mir Jafar, planned a protest but stayed back after advice from the police.Shamsherganj, with over 90,000 deletions, saw similar scenes. Outside a booth in Digri, nearly 300 people stood silently with voter cards they couldn’t use. Ironically, the constituency recorded close to 95% polling.In Jafrabad, a Hindu-majority pocket surrounded by Muslim-dominated neighbourhoods — kin of victims of last year’s violence voted, calling it “revenge through the ballot”. “We want justice,” said Parul Das, whose husband and son were killed.
