DNA Exclusive: How system killed a 70 yr old UP man twice

A 70-year-old man, named Khelai, from Uttar Pradesh's Sant Kabir Nagar, reached the tehsil office to prove he was alive, died in front of government officials. In a flabbergasting incident, Khelai, who was already declared dead on government papers died in a government office. He was making rounds at government offices for the last six years to prove he was alive. The government officials played with the life of a 70-year-old man. It is a case study of the fact that the system of our country is immersed in a quagmire of corruption. How can one declare a living person dead? 

In today's DNA, Zee News' Rohit Ranjan will analyse the corrupt system that killed 70-year-old Khelai twice.

#DNA: सिस्टम के 'मारे' बुजुर्ग की सिस्टम के आगे मौत #UttarPradesh @irohitr pic.twitter.com/7f1bd4m8yw

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) November 18, 2022

Here's the story behind Khelai's death on paper and then in reality.

Khelai's brother Ferai, a resident of Kodra village in Sant Kabir Nagar, died in 2016. But instead of Ferai, the tehsil officials declared Khelai dead and named his property on his dead elder brother Ferai's wife and sons.

Since then, Khelai was giving proof of his being alive to the SDM, Tehsildar, and Naib Tehsildar, but no one heard his complaint.

On Wednesday (16 November), 70-year-old Khelai once again reached the tehsil. But suddenly his health deteriorated there. Khelai, who was fighting to prove himself alive, succumbed to the same system. The system that declared him dead on paper 6 years ago.

#DNA: वो खुद को जिंदा साबित ना कर पाया और मर गया #UttarPradesh @irohitr pic.twitter.com/xhPq8Oz9yE

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) November 18, 2022

It was the year 1976. When Lal Bihari, a resident of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, was declared dead in revenue records. It is alleged that this was done at the behest of his relatives who wanted to grab his property. Lal Bihari had given more than a hundred dharnas to prove himself alive.

A film 'Kaagaz' based on the life of Lal Bihari released in 2021 with Pankaj Tripathi in the lead role.

Watch tonight's DNA for detailed story behind Khelai's death.

एक 'मृतक' की मौत, देखिए #DNA LIVE @irohitr के साथ
+ पहली बार देखिए इंसान की 'कागजी मौत'
+ दुनियाभर में जारी है 'ट्विटर छोड़ो आंदोलन'
+ ट्विटर के नए मालिक के खिलाफ 'ट्वीट क्रांति' https://t.co/ILpPTsIp9F

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) November 18, 2022