Gujarat teacher dies by suicide after BLO workload pressure

AHMEDABAD: Shock and anger gripped Gir Somnath district on 21 November after 40-year-old teacher and Booth Level Officer (BLO) Arvind Mulji Vadher died by suicide in his native Devli village, leaving behind a devastating note that directly blamed the crushing workload of SIR (Systematic Information Review) and rising mental stress. What began as a routine morning in the village quickly spiralled into a district-wide storm, exposing the pressure-ridden machinery operating behind BLO duties. According to the police, Arvind, a teacher at Chhara Kanya Primary School in Kodinar, died early in the morning by hanging himself. His suicide note written to his wife set off alarm bells across the education and election departments. I cant do this SIR work anymore I have been feeling constantly tired and mentally stressed for the last few days. Take care of yourself and our son. I love you both very much but now I have no choice but to take this final step, he wrote, leaving instructions to hand over his work documents to the school. As his note spread among teachers and BLO groups, the district plunged into mourning and outrage. The situation took a sharper turn when viral messages surfaced on social media, showing directives instructing BLOs to work till midnight to complete SIR uploads. These messages triggered a wave of fear among teachers already burdened with on-ground duties and technical issues on the SIR portal. Teachers unions immediately stepped to the forefront, alleging that Arvinds death was not an isolated tragedy but a direct consequence of systemic administrative pressure. Vinod Barad, President of the District Primary School Teachers Association, said the entire teaching community was shaken. Because of the maximum workload of SIR work, Arvindbhai has committed suicide. He was known as one of the best teachers in Kodinar. The pressure was unbearable. The outrage intensified as the All India Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh publicly demanded accountability and financial support for the bereaved family. Its state president, Mitesh Bhatt, issued a strong statement, Reading the suicide note of this Gir Somnath teacher clearly shows the extreme pressure put on teachers. Our union strongly opposes this system. We demand strict action against the responsible officer and one crore rupees for the teachers family. Bhatt also revealed that the union had already submitted a petition to the Chief Minister regarding the unsustainable burden of SIR work. As his note spread among teachers and BLO groups, the district plunged into mourning and outrage. As the pressure mounted, the district administration was forced to respond. Gir Somnath Collector N. V. Upadhyay, who oversees BLOs and SIR progress, insisted that Arvind had never reported any distress. He told local media, We are deeply concerned. Speaking personally about his performance in SIR, he was exceptional. Not a single complaint was ever received. He had already completed 43% of his work. He never informed us about feeling pressured, the Collector said, stressing that the case must be examined only after the police investigation report. Upadhyay also addressed the viral midnight-work message, attempting to distinguish official instructions from misuse. The instruction to work till midnight was a general directive from the Mamlatdar, meant for BLOs whose progress was below 20%. It was not targeted at Arvind. Due to the complexity of the process, we often have to work late. A general work pressure is there on all of us, not just BLOs. Meanwhile, the State Election Commission acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. Additional CEO Ashok Patel stated, The department is monitoring the situation. This incident is deeply distressing. We have asked the Collector to submit a detailed report soon. Political reactions quickly followed, with the Opposition sharpening its attack on the government. Gujarat Congress Chief Spokesperson Dr Manish Doshi said the system was collapsing at the cost of human lives. 99 per cent of primary teachers have been deployed as BLOs for SIR. Workers from 14 other cadres, Anganwadi, Talati, GEB, Gram Sevaks, are supposed to be used, but only teachers are burdened. Schools with three or four teachers have all of them pulled out as BLOs. Threatening orders come from Mamlatdar offices, and the SIR site barely functions. Childrens education is suffering, and teachers are breaking down, he said. He also recalled a recent case where a school principal in Kapadvanj died of a heart attack, due to the stress of BLO duties. With unions protesting, political parties attacking, viral messages circulating, and the Collector urging caution, the police investigation becomes crucial to determining whether Arvinds mental breakdown stemmed solely from administrative pressure or a mix of circumstances. But in Devli village and across Gujarat, the sentiment is one of pain and anger. A dedicated teacher remembered as calm, sincere and responsible was pushed to the brink. Gujarat principal dies of heart attack after weeks of relentless BLO workload