A startling situation has arisen in the Unchdeeh Nyaya Panchayat of Sonbhadra District in Uttar Pradesh, affecting half a dozen villages. Allegedly due to the negligence or conspiracy of the village headman and secretary, over two dozen elderly pension recipients have been declared dead in official documents, which resulted in the cessation of their pensions. The pensioners claim that because they did not cast a vote in the village headman elections, they were falsely declared deceased.
In reality, in Deori Khurd and other similar village panchayats under the Nyaya Panchayat Unchdeeh, more than two dozen elderly pension holders were declared deceased on paper despite being alive, thus depriving them of their rightful pension. These senior citizens became aware of this situation when their bank accounts did not receive the pension amount for several months.
Also read - Counterfeit notes printed on 10 Rupee Stamp Paper: A YouTube-taught scam with a laptop and printer
Allegations against the headman and secretary of corruption
Upon verification, the pensioners discovered that they had been officially marked as deceased for several months. Shocked and confused, they approached the District Magistrate (DM) to prove their existence. Considering the severity of the situation, the DM assured them that inquiries would be conducted and action taken accordingly. Elderly pensioners mentioned that they had received their pensions up until the last year, but none was forthcoming for the past year. They alleged corruption by the headman and secretary.
Repercussions for not voting!
Another pensioner has accused the headman, suggesting that the perceived lack of votes during the headman elections led to their being wrongfully declared dead in collusion with the secretary. Meanwhile, DM B. N. Singh mentioned that once they learned about the incident, they instructed the Social Welfare Officer to investigate. Subsequent actions will be based on the findings of this investigation.
