Ishaq Ali’s dramatic protest at the SDM office draws attention; officials order an inquiry and promise action against those responsible
BASTI — A startling case from Basti district in Uttar Pradesh has raised serious questions about administrative functioning after a man was declared dead in official records while he continued to live and work.
The man, identified as Ishaq Ali, says he has spent years trying to prove that he is alive, even as government documents listed him as deceased and his land was transferred to another person.
According to available information, Ishaq Ali was employed as a sweeper at a Community Health Centre in Nathnagar, Sant Kabir Nagar. Official records from the health department show that he completed his service and retired on 31 December 2019, receiving a formal farewell.
However, revenue records tell a different story. In those documents, he had already been declared dead on 2 December, 2012. The entry reportedly led to the transfer of his ancestral agricultural land, listed under plot number 892, to a woman from the same village.
The discrepancy has drawn attention because Ishaq Ali continued to receive his salary between 2012 and 2019. While one department treated him as a serving employee, another recorded him as deceased.
Allegations have been made against a revenue official, who is said to have entered the death record. The matter is now under scrutiny.
In a bid to draw attention to his case, Ishaq Ali adopted an unusual form of protest. He arrived at the Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s office wrapped in a burial shroud, carrying a placard that read, “Sir, I am alive.” A video of this protest has since circulated widely on social media.
Speaking about his situation, Ishaq Ali said, “Sir, I am alive, but on paper I have been declared dead. My land is my identity, and I have been struggling for years to get it back.”
He added that despite the issue, he is currently receiving a pension, which supports his daily life. “I am getting my pension, but my identity in official records and in my village has been taken away,” he said.
Local residents expressed surprise at the case. One villager said, “We have seen him working and living here. It is hard to understand how he was declared dead in records.”
Another resident added, “If such mistakes can happen, then anyone could face this problem. There should be proper checks.”
The administration has taken note of the matter. Shatrughan Pathak, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, said the issue is serious and will be investigated.
“One person has come forward claiming he is alive despite being recorded as dead. We will conduct a proper inquiry,” he said. “If any official is found responsible, strict action will be taken, and justice will be ensured.”
Legal experts say such cases, though rare, highlight the need for better coordination between government departments and careful verification of records.
For Ishaq Ali, the fight continues. His case has now drawn wider attention, but he says his main demand remains simple: recognition of his identity and restoration of his rights.
“I only want what is mine. I want my name, my land, and my identity back,” he said.
