Prayagraj, September 3, 2025 – Imagine being alive and kicking, but the government thinks you’re gone for good. That’s the wild tale of 72-year-old Sukru from Pali Karanpur village in Prayagraj’s Bahadurpur block. For two long years, this poor man has been fighting to prove he’s not a ghost after some lazy paperwork marked him as dead. Yesterday, he took matters into his own hands and showed up at the District Magistrate’s public hearing, leaving everyone stunned. “Sir, I’m alive! The system has killed me on paper,” he pleaded.
It all started back in 2023 when the local Gram Panchayat secretary goofed up big time. Sukru’s name got crossed off the living list in official records, which meant his old-age pension – a measly but crucial Rs 1,000 a month – came to a screeching halt. That money was his lifeline; without it, the widower struggled to buy food or medicine. He knocked on doors at the village office, block level, even the tehsil, but no one fixed the mess. Frustrated, he finally marched into DM Manish Kumar Verma’s jan sunwai (public grievance session) on Tuesday, September 2.
The DM was floored. Right there in the crowded room, Sukru laid out his story: “I’ve been running around for years, but they won’t listen. How can I eat without my pension?” Verma didn’t waste time – he ordered an instant check. Turns out, the records really showed Sukru as deceased, all because of a careless entry by the panchayat officer. Furious, the DM suspended the secretary on the spot and kicked off a deeper probe. “This is unacceptable negligence,” Verma said, promising to restore Sukru’s pension with back payments soon.
Sukru’s case isn’t one of a kind in Uttar Pradesh. Just this year, in Kannauj, another elderly guy, Harnath Pal, dragged himself to the DM’s office after being “dead” on paper for eight years. He too lost his pension and had to beg officials to declare him alive again. These mix-ups often stem from sloppy data entry in schemes like the National Social Assistance Programme, which gives pensions to folks over 60 who are below the poverty line. In rural areas, where many can’t read or write, such errors hit hard. Experts say it’s a sign of bigger problems – outdated records, lack of tech checks, and officials not verifying facts on the ground.
DM Manish Verma has warned all panchayat staff to double-check records and hold regular camps to fix errors. This story shines a light on how bureaucracy can crush the little guy. In a state pushing digital India, why do these analog blunders persist? As probes continue, Sukru waits for his money – and his life back. If anything, it’s a reminder: Speak up, because sometimes, showing up alive is the only way to prove it.
