Massive Fire Destroys Nearly 4,000 EVMs used in recent polls in Kolkata
A fire at a government building in Kolkata's Alipore area destroyed around 4,000 EVMs, prompting calls for a transparent investigation amid competing political claims.
KOLKATA— A major fire broke out on Wednesday, June 10, at a nine-storey government building in Kolkata’s Alipore area, housing the administrative office of the South 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad. The blaze gutted approximately 4,000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) that had been used in 10 assembly constituencies during the recent West Bengal elections. No casualties were reported.
Fire services battled the flames for hours. The EVMs were stored on the upper floors of the building, which also contained offices of other government departments.
As PTI reported, West Bengal Minister of State for Fire and Emergency Services Kaushik Chowdhury visited the site and confirmed the extent of the damage. “Around 4,000 EVMs were destroyed in the fire. Those EVMs were used in 10 constituencies during this year’s assembly elections in the state,” he said.
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Chowdhury noted that the fire did not appear normal. It reportedly started on the lower floors (second or third) but selectively damaged upper floors where the EVMs were kept, while sparing some intermediate floors. “We are examining whether there was any sabotage,” he added.
An FIR has been registered, and a full investigation, including forensic examination, is underway. Authorities will await the forensic report for clarity on the cause.
TMC officials, have flagged the possibility of sabotage while emphasizing that the probe will reveal the truth. The incident comes after TMC’s reported heavy defeat to BJP in the 2026 Assembly polls.
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Some Congress leaders have raised concerns about election integrity, referencing past allegations of irregularities in close contests. They have urged authorities to ensure the investigation remains impartial and called for verified facts before drawing conclusions.
Broader opposition sentiment has included demands for an independent probe, possibly involving a retired Supreme Court judge.
The incident has triggered widespread debate on social media and in political circles, with questions about the storage and security of election materials post-polling. Police and forensic teams continue their work at the site, and further updates are expected as the investigation progresses. Authorities have assured that the matter will be examined from all angles.
Meanwhile, this story highlights the sensitivities around electoral infrastructure in India’s largest democracy.
