A fire broke out on 12 June 2026 at a government building in Kolkata’s Alipore area, resulting in the destruction of approximately 4,000 electronic voting machines (EVMs). The EVMs had been used in 10 constituencies during the recent West Bengal Assembly elections. The incident prompted immediate concern from state authorities, who initiated an investigation and registered a First Information Report (FIR). Forensic teams faced challenges accessing the affected floors due to residual heat from the fire.
According to Scroll, West Bengal Minister of State for Fire and Emergency Services Kaushik Chowdhury stated that the fire did not appear to be a “normal fire.” He indicated that authorities are examining the possibility of sabotage, given the unusual manner in which the fire spread within the building.
The fire reportedly started on the third floor of the nine-storey building and reached the seventh and eighth floors, bypassing the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors. Coverage revealed that this pattern raised questions among officials and contributed to suspicions regarding the cause of the incident.
The building also houses the South 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad office and other government departments. The South 24 Parganas district is considered a stronghold of the Trinamool Congress, with its National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee having significant influence in the area. Reporting indicated that the zilla parishad is run by the Trinamool Congress, further intensifying the political sensitivity of the incident.
Minister Kaushik Chowdhury questioned how the fire could have spread to upper floors without affecting the intermediate levels. He stated, “It did not appear to be a normal fire and the authorities are examining the possibility of sabotage.”
“An FIR was registered and an investigation has been initiated,” Chowdhury said, adding, “Forensic officials had come to collect samples. As the building was still hot, they faced difficulty in entering the floors that were gutted.”
Forensic teams collected samples from the site, but the high temperature of the affected areas delayed a thorough examination. Further details emerged that the investigation is ongoing, with authorities yet to determine the exact cause of the fire or confirm any sabotage.
The destruction of EVMs used in 10 constituencies has raised concerns about the security and integrity of election materials. Officials confirmed that the incident has prompted a review of storage and safety protocols for election equipment in the state.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.